Member-only story
On taking the path less traveled
The road ahead can seem like a lonely one
I’ve seen so many of my fellow Duke alumni doing incredible things on LinkedIn and through the Duke Magazine.
I’m happy for them but can’t help comparing myself to them. They’re off saving children in foreign countries and dedicating their lives to service. In the meantime, I’m happy to plan for storytimes and programs when the opportunity arises.
I want to be exceptional, but I’m not sure how to get there. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I often strive for excellence. If I’m not excelling at what I’m doing, I worry I’m not living to my full potential.
I realize that my choices fall outside the norm. Not many Duke grads ended up in retail and the service industry. A majority of the people I know went on to become doctors, lawyers, consultants, bankers, or software engineers.
Going against the grain can be frightening. But some of the stories I hear are inspiring: like Duke grads who went on to write award-winning plays, open restaurants, or start a crocheting business.
I want to become an advocate for libraries and librarianship. I haven’t figured out the best medium for that just yet, but I’ll hopefully be more informed…
