Yesterday morning, as I made my way through Japan (Or is it the morning before? Being in Japan, time ahead of the U.S., makes it confusing) Nighean Gheal moved back home.
You may remember that she moved out in October of 2022 to The Big Big City with a job in hand. She has been there for over a year now, enjoying the sights and sounds and tastes of life in perhaps the most urban of urban environments. But about four months ago, she reached out to us.
Her job was okay, but it was not quite what she had been expecting. The industry she is in is a tough one, with jobs being assigned out either randomly or "because you know someone". In some cases the teams were dysfunctional, reaching out late at night (2300) to go over slides for the next day. Even though she found a better team with good people, the work was still not that interesting.
However, she had continued to do online tutoring during this time and loved it - as she described to us, she felt energized after finishing the tutoring but exhausted after her regular job. After giving it a lot of thought, she thought that meant something.
We, of course, concurred.
The final outcome of what she will do is still in the process of application (so no update there at the moment), but she asked us if after the ending of her lease in January, could she move back home for 5 or 6 months until the next step of her career journey was complete?
Of course we said yes.
And so yesterday, she and The Ravishing Mrs. TB made their way back to New Home, with the remainder of her things (she had been ferrying them home for Thanksgiving and Christmas). Her job is now fully remote, so she was able to get herself transferred to the local New Home office, where she will continue to work until (hopefully) the next step is complete.
I am quite proud of her - not just that she has done well in her job, but that she has the presence of mind to realize that this field is not for her and to do something about it, instead of just making the decision to be miserable at a job for years on end.
Sometimes, even compensation and prestige and The Big Big City is not enough.
Good for her, making that move before she's locked in somewhere and that bad stomach feeling is there every morning. After eight and half years Chicago lost it's initial brief appeal and I transferred back to Home State. Now you just have to make sure you put on pants everyday TB........... :)
ReplyDeleteMy feeling is the same, Nylon12. Do not make the mistake I did and find yourself 25 plus years into a career that you have no real fire for.
DeleteThe application is submitted, and now we wait.
And yes, I may have to "up" my wardrobe a bit...
Of course... you did what any parent would do. Hopefully your daughter find a new path that leaves her with that energized feeling at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteEd, the good news is that she has a plan for getting there instead of a vague idea that "There is more than this". Application has been submitted; now we wait.
DeleteGood luck to her and God bless.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda! I will certainly update when we have news.
DeleteWhen a grand-niece of ours dropped out of college in utter misery, I counseled her that it was OK to change your mind and plans. That there was nothing wrong with acknowledging that something was not working, and to look for new directions.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all of you having the presence of mind to do the same.
Greg, that is a sound plan. College is not for everyone, or not every college is for everyone. Better we figure that out earlier than enduring X amount of years of misery to find a career that is the same kind of enduring agony.
DeleteTo go through this when she is young makes it easier. And having her parents' support with a soft place to land is an added bonus. She'll do great, I'm sure, and you and Mrs. TB will enjoy having her with you.
ReplyDeleteI think so too Bob, and am grateful she figured this out now rather than 10 years from now. We are fortunate in that we can easily support this kind of thing now. And it is nice to have her home.
DeleteIt is a great comfort to have all of one's ducklings close-by when tumultuous times threaten.
ReplyDeleteERJ, that is another benefit. Honestly, although urban environments are urban environments, not all urban environments are created equal.
DeleteHmm, I thought I left a comment here the other day, but I must have just composed it in my head. :)
ReplyDeleteSo much here commends your daughter's maturity. She stuck with the job and gave it a fair chance, yet came to a valid realization about herself and what she wants to do (and not do) without taking it as a personal failure. Happily, she has parents who support her implicitly. There's a lot to be proud of here.
Leigh, I completely blame The InterWeb. It eats things.
DeleteI am extraordinarily glad she had the presence of mind to realize something was out of alignment and took action to fix it instead of just thinking to give it another 5 years to endure in hopes it got better. She also saw what it did to long time employees there and how, at the drop of a hat, the company would just "let them go". And she certainly did not just propose dropping out, but had a plan in place for next steps.
We are certainly very proud of her.