I’m a Wanderer

I never thought as an English major that I would find myself in the world of marketing and advertising. I don’t know why really. I mean, not all English majors don a tweed jacket with elbow patches and a pair of spectacles for reading papers (though to be honest, I do love my tweeds). While that still appeals to me some days, I feel like I have a bit of a wandering soul. Despite all my angsting to have control over my life, I also get anxious when I feel stuck in the same place too long. I’m a bit of a strange fruit because my passions change with every rise and fall of the sun. If it has an inkling to do with writing or reading or anything about my lifestyle that I find enjoyment in, I’m interested. I pursue it.

So when I found myself as an associate copywriter, I was surprised that I could be inspired by the world of branding and marketing. I have always been a creative writer, not a marketing guru. How was this possible? I didn’t realize that there was a person behind all the e-mails and articles I read every day. It’s almost like something I just consumed mindlessly. No, I know I consumed mindlessly. There is a whole new world that opened up to me for writing that I never really thought about. Copywriting can be the difference between a run of the mill advertisement and a meaningful product that you can connect to and care about. Anyone can try to sell a product, but can you inspire people with it?

I remember when I was in college being asked what I was going to do with my degree. I hated it. I understand that people love labels and it helps them identify with you, but I couldn’t label my degree. I didn’t want to. I loved books and words and people’s stories. I loved writing and being a communicator. I felt like it was a wonder degree where I got to have the best of all worlds. No future career option with a background in English sounded bad. While I always have a plan and am organized, my only goal was to love whatever job I found and take whatever steps that meant. Be it publishing, writing, or teaching. If anything, my degree program taught me you could be anything if you could communicate clearly. I just want to write to my heart’s desire. There are countless possibilities.

More than anything, I am becoming a “yes woman.” There are so many experiences that I would have been terrified of before or thought I wasn’t capable of doing. After graduating I was at a point where I just needed something, anything to get my feet planted in the world. It pushed me to be OK with the extraordinary, because let’s face it, extraordinary is scary but ordinary is a silent killer. It’s a big world out there and as hard as you may try to plan, you really can’t always tell where it will lead you.

I’d like to say my wanderings have left my writing for this space long behind me, but I find myself constantly scribbling down notes about things I want to post in this little space. I feel a need to move on some days, leaving the world of my ramblings on WordPress behind. So much to do, so little time. But, I found I’ve grown to love this little expression of my soul. And though it may wander in and out and never truly become something super grown-up and professional like I often feel compelled to do, it’s honest. And goodness knows, in such tumultuous times, it’s a soft spot to land and say something heartfelt and maybe make a few meaningful connections along the way. While I wander every which way and struggle to find words sometimes, I think it’s still relevant – I just have no idea where the path may lead. 

But here’s to the journey and hopefully many more–Kassie 

 
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