I decided to attend University of Dreams on awhim.  I was home over Christmasbreak and received and email from an alum and was immediately interested in theopportunity.  Mostly I chose to dothis program because of how easy it was to apply and get help looking for aninternship and create a résumé.  Atthis point I was not (and am still not) really sure what I want to do when “Igrow up”.  So my grand plan was touse this summer as a learning experience. Apply for internships that sounded interesting and like something Imight possibly want to do, interview and chose one.  I would be just finishing my first year of college and thenmoving to Chicago for the summer to explore!  I ended up with what seemed to be an amazing internshipworking in an art gallery in the gallery loop.  Not being from Chicago I had no idea why the location was soamazing but my gallery was in the gallery loop! And this is what I toldinquiring family members who all oooed and awed over what im sure they had noidea about either.  So at the endof the school year I packed up and headed to Chicago.  Moving from a very rural town in the middle of no where Ohioto downtown Chicago was an extremely big change although fortunately I am veryadaptable and embraced all the opportunities the city held.  The first week was a little toughfiguring how to get to work on a bus that sped down one-way streets andscreeched to a halt at stops that may or may not be announced.  However after about the first week Igot the hang of it and could get to and from work no problem.  Then I broadened my horizons to includesome shopping places other galleries in the gallery loop, which I found out isa few blocks close together where there are some of the more well known smallgalleries, all close together trying to draw in potential clients, and even theparks off Michigan avenue.  Andafter almost 6 weeks of being in the city I cant imagine going back to schoolin a town that is made up of the school. 

            Thisprogram has lead me to many discoveries about myself about my career path aboutpeople in general and about getting what you want.  It is an amazing opportunity that I would recommend to allyoung adults before they jump into the real world.  It gives you the chance to discover who you are, what you value,where you want to live, where you want to work and so much more.  Not only just through the internshiphave I learned but also through the speakers that the program brings in, theoutings that we attend and the people that I have met.  The speakers have been a real learningexperience as these successful adults share their stories about how they gotwhat they wanted.  I think it isimportant to know that you can achieve whatever it is you want if you work hardenough.  After going to one of thespeakers I decided I needed to figure out what it is that I want to do when Igrow up, who I want to be.  Now sofar I know that its not an interior architect or a business major however thatstill leaves quite a few professions to chose from and what would I be goodat?  So inspired by the weeklyspeaker I made some calls and set up a meeting with a Public Relations personsince this is my chosen path as of late and I want to know what they do.  I mean Sex and the City makes the joblook fantastic and glamours as Samantha interacts with the rich and famoushowever in reality I know that this isn’t what PR agents really do.  Also the program has encouraged me totalk to adults about what it is that they do.  You never know who will have an exciting career that you envyand want so talk to everyone. 

            Thisprogram has so much to offer and I am so fortunate to have run across it andhad the opportunity to participate in such a rewarding experience.  It is definitely an experience that Ihave learned and grown from and one that I will never forget.