Penn State. Oh, Penn State … I truly cannot thank you enough.
Throughout my life, I have NEVER known what I wanted to do. Why? Well, that’s probably because I wanted to do everything. I wanted to be a doctor. A lawyer. A poet. A musician. A manager. An astronaut. The President. If you can name it, there’s probably a high chance I’ve wanted to do it. But why?
Childhood
Growing up, my parents created and owned their businesses. Construction, daycares, hair salons, podcasts and more … I was raised in an entrepreneurial family that was always picking up something new and exciting. In elementary school, I found myself liking and excelling in every subject. I couldn’t say that I didn’t want to work as a mathematician for NASA because I was good at math. And I couldn’t say that I didn’t want to be a surgeon because I did enjoy science.
It wasn’t until later in high school that I started narrowing down my interests … I knew that I loved to travel, learn about other cultures, and take pictures. “Perhaps photojournalism or international business?” I thought to myself. Then came the earthquake called Penn State.
Attending Penn State
I came to Penn State undecided in my major because I couldn’t narrow down exactly what I wanted to do just yet. Thinking I wanted to do something business or marketing-related, I took an intro class in business, and boy was that my least favorite class I’ve taken here. I will admit, I learned a lot from that class. I learned about ethics in the workplace and how to work with a team. I also learned that I did not belong in Smeal College of Business.
Then Came Clubs …
There were two main reasons I decided to come to Penn State:
- No matter what degree I chose, I knew I’d be getting a great education.
- There are over 1,000 clubs and organizations on campus.
That said, I decided to join different clubs that fit my interests. My advisor encouraged me to visit one in particular, the Advertising and Public Relations Club, but I was hesitant at first. I decided to go anyway and try it out … and my life changed forever.
Not a Career, but a Lifestyle
After sitting through only two club presentations, I knew that advertising was exactly where I needed to be. I went from having no idea what I wanted to do to knowing exactly where I belonged; from undecided, to obvious. And my life since that eureka moment?
I’ve been pursuing that dream by connecting with others in the field, learning through internships and classes and creating work I am passionate about. While I didn’t always know what I wanted to do, I can confidently say that now I will always know I am meant for a career in advertising.
So thank you, Penn State, for helping me realize what I was made for. And for helping me make the best of memories and friendships along the way.
With Love,
Georgia Curtis, VALLEY Mag Editor, PSU ’24
