Practicum

When making this video, I realized the impossibility of connecting proper career advice with an artistic spirit in one form. The moment I sat down to write a script, everything in me revolted! Hello! As a supplement, please accept these words of advice for your life as a writer. Don’t look too hard for a dream job. Apply for anything you want. Apply widely. Apply carelessly. Of course, on the other hand, you may decide to be more intentional and strategic with your future. I admire anyone for this! A little story. Before coming to Blacksburg, I lived with a friend in Minneapolis. Here, I mostly paid rent by private phone and video work. At the same time, I had a teaching gig with Americorps. By day, I tutored kindergarteners and first-graders with their A-B-C’s at a local elementary school. By evening, I hung out with adult subscribers who paid up to $6 a month for livestreams, group chats, and private calls under the guise of “cultural exchange” and “English lessons.” At any given time, I had up to 200 subscribers tuning in around the world. Friends also connected me with people in need of oracle readings, which padded a lot of my income as a psychic. Here and there, I made fast cash as a remote sales representative for a proofreading company. I was also hired as a matchmaker but quickly realized it was a SCAM!  One day, my advisor from Tucson told me about a nice visiting professor job in Virginia. She said, “You can do it!” So I did it! I wrote a cover letter and put together a CV. The interview was scary, but I made a practice livestream beforehand with a fashion show, serious questions, and everything! The subscribers sent little coins and voice notes to boost my confidence. We had a whole party online after I got the job. That’s all.  I’m sorry, I don’t have any clear strategies or psychological tricks about seeking the right path. Maybe you can just go one way. Try whatever feels good. Love your friends deeply. Don’t be hardened just yet. Do what you can in this life during genocide. Find your root. Be sad if you need to be sad. Give everything. Give everything you have.