caitlin e shogren

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Being post the third degree

So for those of you not in-the-know about my daily life, I've recently completed my third degree program! I finished up my Bachelor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May and have been trying to hit the ground running concerning the job hunt.

I learned a lot while living in Madison. Not just about art and graphic design but also a lot about living on my own and the sometimes 'dreaded' aspect of being an adult. I had many firsts while away from Oklahoma:

  • Solo apartment

  • Moving experience

  • Death in the family

  • Occupational stability

  • Financial stability

... among many others that I'm not recalling I'm sure. Madison allowed me the space to develop as a person and I'm glad to have called it my first adventure away from home.

That being said: it was also really isolating at times. I was a 15-hour drive and at least 5-hour, $300 flight away from my immediate family and an 11-hour drive from my extended family. The distance took its toll which helped me make the decision to come back home, even without a job offer in my field straight away.

So as of now, I'm still job hunting but not remaining idle. I know my situation at the moment isn't ideal for anyone in the same boat but its still a paycheck as I look for better opportunities closer to home. I've been trying to expand and work on various creative pursuits so that's been helpful.