I have now been a college graduate for over a month. On March 17th, I packed everything up in Rochester and moved back home to the parents. Laugh all you want, but this home is not a very bad place to be. My parents leave me to myself so I can come and go as I please but I still can spend quality time with them.
Seeing as I don’t start my “official” job until July 17th, I have found other things to keep me busy. I still work part time for my college as a web designer (officially Web Assistant), and am able to submit work from home. I also am doing Computer Systems Consulting for various clients in the Hartford area, doing work ranging from tech support to network installations to web site development for home users as well as local businesses. It is a great way to keep my skills fresh and also keep the wallet padded with some green. This is very key because on May 31st I am jet-setting off to London for a 30 day backpacking trip through Europe. Seeing as my plans for that time period are very loose, having some spending money, will help with the flexibility.
Two of the most exciting things I have done since graduating is returning to Taekwondo ( I trained for 10 years before starting college ) and teaching Sunday at the synagogue that I used to attend.
Taekwondo has certainly had a significant impact on the life I lead today. When I started training, I was overweight, extremely self-conscience and lacked self-discipline. After many challenging tests, competitions and personal battles I have overcome my insecurities, gained a black belt, and at the same time lost a significant amount of weight. I probably weight the same now (if not less) then I did when I started classes and I was only 5 feet tall then (5’9″ now). The most important take away from this experience though has been my self confidence. This confidence is not in the physical, “I can kick everyone’s butt” sense, but in the mental, “I am proud of who I am” sense. It has helped me achieve a lot in my 22 years and I have a feeling that it will make a significant difference in the career path I take over the next few years.
Teaching Hebrew School is the culmination of many years of Jewish studies and leadership involvement. I atteneded Hebrew School three days a week from 2nd through 7th grade and continued to go every sunday through high school graduation. I have spoken about my experiences there in this blog before and because of those experiences, I decided that the only way to make a difference is to be directly involved. By teaching the students directly, I could help them find the same passion about their Judaism and love of Israel that I found in college. Hopefully, if they discover it at a younger age, they can learn to appreciate it more and understand how it affects their lives.
I would like to think, because I am home I would update this blog more often, but I have been home for over 30 days and this is my first entry. Now that I have figured out my schedule and have settled in, maybe it is time to put my thoughts down somewhere. Let’s see if I can keep this up to date.
Wish me luck,
Stegel
