14 september 2006
From H House to H Street
Robin Lynn Pratt
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The other evening I received a call from my college alumni association. The caller confirmed the basics: Let’s see, you graduated in 1985 from Muir college with a degree in Psychology… He asked if I had received a copy of the brand new alumni magazine this year? Yes, I told him, in fact I thought it was a great publication… and about time, too. Then he asked me the big question: Are you currently working in your field? I think that’s how he worded it. And to be honest, I almost laughed. I am not a practicing psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor or social worker. I don’t do psychology research. “No, not really,” I told him. “I’m a freelance writer.”
Days went by and this question echoed in my mind. Are you using your degree? Maybe that’s actually what he asked. Now, that’s a slightly different question, and other answers began to form. Everyday I negotiate, motivate, and promote teamwork—in my work and at home. I know how to phrase questions to encourage someone to offer more valuable information. Those are definitely skills I attribute to the focus of my degree. But I’ve had so many detours along the way, it seems I’ve forgotten how much my college experience has contributed to who I am.
One reason I chose this particular UCSD program was that the curriculum required developing a broad base of knowledge. Like other Muir College students, I was able to explore a wide range of courses before deciding on my major, including computer science, music, and writing. And even though I’m not actually working in my field, I rely on knowledge about those subjects in the work I do everyday.
Weeks passed and the big question would not leave me alone. How did he say it again, exactly? Are you using your experience at UCSD? If he’d phrased it that way, I may have had more to say. Classes for my major presented theories and case histories about human behavior and child development; others focused on how to dig up almost any kind of information I needed. I learned the importance of being critical of information until I'd found agreement from other sources. My freelance work relies on all these skills, whether I’m writing about the challenges of parenting, or doing research for an education or health article.
What about my experience living on campus? I considered how much of that has influenced my life. Living in the close quarters of the dorms, I was forced to learn some basic social skills, like the balance between when to voice a complaint, and when to be tolerant. And working as a Resident Advisor for ‘H’ House during my Jr. year forced me to learn to balance school and work. Although it required patience, being part of the campus community always meant there was someone around to join for a study-break, dinner, or a game of frisbee out on the grass.
The other day my neighbor knocked on the door, and asked to borrow his spare key. My family keeps a basket of keys - left from when we’ve fed our neighbors' animals or watched their houses during vacation, and over the years our friends have asked us to keep their spare keys for emergencies. As I handed him his key, I realized I’ve somehow become the ‘R.A. on duty’ again, only not for ‘H’ House anymore. I live on ‘H’ Street now – no kidding.
Every now and then I look up from my home-based life and wonder if my “deliberate choice” to opt out of the nine-to-five world isn’t really just a lack of ambition. (I really like being able to wear my slippers at my desk in the morning). Most of my fellow alumni seem to have turned their education into enviable jobs and salaries. But after this phone call, I began to understand that it was actually my education that had influenced my choices. And I’m very fortunate to have a husband who supports my need to be available for our children while they’re still young.
What the caller really wanted, of course, was a donation, and in another few years I’ll be glad to send a check. I am already easing my way back into the working world in surprising directions. In the last ten years, the world has become a very different place, or maybe it’s just my perspective that has changed.
For now, I read each issue of my alumni magazine, and admire the editor who has found a way to rekindle those formative years for me. And just in time. With two sons planning for college soon, I’d like to tell them about what a great experience it was for me. And I look forward to seeing what kind of choices they make along the way.
Robin Lynn Pratt is originally from California, where she earned degrees in psychology and business. She has been a freelance writer since 1995, when she quit work to spend more time with her family. Robin now lives and writes in Salt Lake City with her husband and their two sons. Find Robin at www.robinlynnpratt.com. |
