I'm back!

So, the summer is nearly over and I haven't really written much of anything in my blog. However, I've been having a lot of urges to write lately, so I figured I should give this another go. I don't have anything creative or insightful to say, so I guess I'll just talk about one of my favorite subjects: me! *Laughs*

It feels like, ever since I was a junior in high school or so, everyone has been asking me about what my plans are for the rest of my life. Where are you going to go to college? What's your major? What do you plan to do with that major? And every time I finally came up with an answer to one question (after taking forever to agonize about my lack of a plan), another question would inevitably pop up.

I never really knew what I wanted to do. The only thing that I really enjoyed doing was learning about other cultures (specifically their languages). So, when it came time to go to college, I decided I would become a Spanish teacher. There's just one problem: I didn't want to be in school for the rest of my life (at least until I retired).

As you can see, this was a fairly large problem. I began looking for an alternative solution. I knew I had found the right major for me when I saw that the international business program at UMSL requires one to study abroad for at least a little bit. So, I finally found my major! But then, what was I supposed to do with that once I graduated?

This question has haunted me for the last two years because I simply didn't know the answer. After all this time worrying about my lack of a plan, I finally (finally) have one! Oddly enough, my life's plan was inspired by a T-shirt at Target. Anyway, here's my plan for the next five years or so of my life:

I am currently employed at Toys"R"Us Express, which will be closing its doors in January. I will continue to work there for the rest of the semester, which starts on Monday. However, come the second semester, I will hopefully be placed in an internship at Scottrade. For the last two semesters of my senior year, I will hone my skills at Scottrade (which was recently listed by Forbes magazine as the 27th best company to work for AND has it's headquarters approximately 16 minutes from my house).

Upon graduating from UMSL, I will either be hired on at Scottrade or I will apply for the rotational program at Edward Jones. This is the only part of my plan that I am unsure of. While Scottrade, despite the horrible economy, is continuing to grow and improve as a company, Edward Jones has a more global focus, which is what I am looking for. Additionally, Edward Jones was listed as number 2 on the same Forbes list of best companies to work for and its headquarters are literally across the street from Scottrade. Also, the rotational program would allow me to work in a different department for three month periods over the course of a year before finally placing me in whatever department fit me best. The downside is that this program is probably very difficult to get into and there would not be the same amount of advancement opportunities that could reasonably be expected from a company like Scottrade.

Either way, wherever I wind up, I plan on working (and hopefully rising through the ranks at least a little) for whatever company for four years. During this time I will also become involved in community projects and preparations for the GMAT.

After the time is up, I will apply to the schools with the top MBA programs in the country. While Harvard would be lovely, it unfortunately does not have a program designed specifically for those of us who wish to focus on international business. The school that I am leaning towards shooting for instead is Columbia University.


So... That's my plan so far. Thoughts?