Firstly I came to understand you a little more and secondly I now have a much better understanding of geography and what it means.
I studied Arts at University. What on earth does that mean, these days? TBH, it fits the image of the studious notaries of the Middle Ages, swanning round Bologna, Paris and Oxford in black robes. But in the 1960-70's?
In those days it meant a bit of English Lit, a bit of history, a bit of geography, a bit of politics, ancient civs. A mish mash of all that is phenomenal in the history of the world and some amazing drop dead gorgeous fashion and music!
We had to choose Majors, didn't we, after our first year, and still not knowing what I wanted to do, I chose history because I've loved it forever. And God knows why, I chose International Politics. Not knowing that everything was beginning to fit together like a fateful little puzzle.
But my ultimate BA fit me for nothing and even then I didn't know what I wanted to do. Do we ever at 17-18? So I did a diploma of librarianship where I learned to be a researcher and I was eventually delivered to the media where, like you meeting your husband through geography, I met mine through TV and radio.
What research and the study of history did do was give me a lifelong love of the Middle Ages which led me to writing fiction. Wierd, isn't it? Did I find my tribe? Yes - indie hist. fict writers, mainstream hist. fict writers and now Substack folk - serendipity I suppose. Don't you think?
Sabrina, What a wonderful essay on geography. I, too, am great at connections but not willing to limit myself to one field. That must be why I ended up as a geography major for most of my undergraduate time. I loved cartography! But could not imagine myself confined to the field as it was then. Oh if I had only seen my later life in IT. As it turned out for my senior thesis I picked a French school of thought and then found that all the research was in French. Yikes! No Google translate back in the dark ages so I struggled through and actually got pretty proficient at reading French. I too found that the career prospects were pretty slim and took a long pause on education. After a five year break I went to finish my degree and found the fastest way to finish was to flip my major and minor, and so I became an economist. Economics is so similar to geography as you describe the study of the interactions of people and their environment. Not as dissimilar as you may think.
You two geographers are dear to may heart and I hope that we see more of each other.
I did not know that you studied geography! I suppose I should not be surprised. Funny you mention that about economics: I actually eagerly took a macroeconomics class my first year thinking that it sounded exactly right for me. I barely passed. I was heartbroken, and I think the professor and I were both also mystified as to how I could be so completely incapable of understanding. I stayed away from economics after that experience.
And agree that we need to find ourselves in the same place more often ❤️
This was such a great piece Sabrina! I didn’t understand the nuances of Geography before reading this, and have to say that after seeing the descriptions of courses here I realized that I’ve never taken a geography course. No wonder I’ve felt lacking in my geographical skills! What a fascinating and wonderful field, and I’m so glad that you found it!
And like you, I never had any idea of what I wanted to be when I grew up, except possibly a ballet dancer when I was about 6 years old and had started taking ballet lessons and loved them. 😀 And honestly I never found my “tribe” or work passion but, very similar to Patricia, I started working in banking (during a year taken off from college to earn money), also found I really enjoyed “process” type jobs, and did a slew of different administrative and organizational management jobs in banking, higher ed, law and health care over the years. So it was a potpourri of things that kept me interested, and when I got bored every 5-7 years or so I’d move into a different type of process work. Not much advance planning there, but it worked!
Thanks for the opportunity to reflect back and also to read about your wonderful experiences.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the post Martha! So many of us fell sideways into our work life, for many reasons (good and less good, but that is for another post!). Luckily, many of also found the kinds of work we enjoyed, and so the topic or sector was almost incidental to the way we worked and the skills we used. It is wonderful to hear everyone else's stories—thanks for sharing yours!
I love your description of Geography... I had no idea, just a vague memory of memorizing crops and mineral resources and physical features as rivers and mountains. And then it all immediately escaping from my brain. I love the cartography portion; that really appeals to my love of detail and art. I do remember using those tiny stick-on letters for something, but the nature of the object receiving them escapes me.
A great deal escapes me these days. Sigh. That is why it is so nice to be reminded of people and places. Like Bodie. And the view of the White Mountains from my brother’s porch. We’ve been to the Bristlecone Pine Forest visitor center. The University field station is just up the road. Well, miles on a very zigzag road. And the many times I’ve driven past Mono Lake.
I was a sorority girl in a psychology major. And then didn’t know what to do after college (after the medical schools I applied to crushed my dreams of being a doctor). With the encouragement of my uncle I ended up in a banking mgmt training program. I was the operations manager for a retail bank branch, back in the day we did everything in the branch, and this intro to Process really spoke to me. Not only did I manage people but getting all of the departments humming along together and balancing at the end of the day was quite satisfying.
Never found my people there though. Not until Matt and Ali were in high school. My people were the parents of all their friends. Like you.
Ahhh, I wish that more geography could be taught through literature and other wonderful non-fiction stories (John McPhee and a million others) describing life in places and why settlements developed the way they did because of their resources and where food could be grown and flooding...alas. The East side-I love seeing your photos (and paintings!) when you visit your brother. You are the queen of process! I'm glad that you found one of your superpowers through that career. And I'm sorry if I dissed your sorority major-we were not yet ready to be each other's people! I love the joy that we can discover new people at all times in our lives; it is harder, but possible. And I suppose it is that hope that keeps us all going. ❤️
I just loved this post. I never found my tribe but I was drawn to geography for the same reasons. I try to share with my students how important it is to think like a geographer. And I too had a cartography class that sounded like yours.
Hi Sabrina, to answer one of your questions: No, I don't think I've grown up just yet. :) I used to hate Geography when I had to take in school in Germany but reading about the things you got to study and learn about, I'd probably enjoy it now. I like to learn about many different things and am fascinated by nature and people.
Thanks for your comments Susi! I think a lot of us had boring geography classes in our early years; lots of memorising capitals and river names, and less about the people and why they lived in certain places. Maybe we get more interested in these things as we get older too.
I'm very delighted to hear you haven't grown up yet!
Geography is my tribe, too! I'm so glad we found each other in that Cartography lab! But before that, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up - except I knew for sure I didn't want to be a teacher, which is what everyone asked when they found out I was a geography major (confused look, then "oh, will you teach?"). But look at me now, retired teacher, wouldn't have it any other way. Just goes to show that asking elementary school kids what they want to be is a ridiculous assignment. Most kids pick Magician, anyhow - maybe because they just want to be able to do a disappearing trick from the scrutiny of their teacher's (or nun's) eye. 🙈
Ha! I love that you heard magician the most! I never had the creativity to even think of that!
I'm ever so glad we had that class together too, and all the years that followed as a result. Geographers are indeed a wonderful tribe, and I hope that someday it is as popular a subject for education in America as it is in other parts of the world. Then maybe kids would have another option if they are asked what they want to be when they grow up.😉
Such a fascinating post, Sabrina! Just yesterday I was sent an e-mail with the question 'When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?' I'd gone away to think about it (and have yet to reply) - and now that I've read your post, it seems I'm not alone in not having known the answer back then! I feel in much better shape to give my answer now - thank you. 😊 I had felt rather ashamed to not have one! 😕
Ohh excellent, not just me then! 😄 I've always struggled with the description of what I do or am or have skills to do. I hadn't really realised that I never knew from the beginning what ai wanted to do until I wrote this. Thanks for your comment and I hope you've got some answers now!
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Prue. I love when people find out that geography can be more than the boring stuff.
Studying the arts sounds like it was a human focused version of geography in a way: learning about all the things that influence each other and contribute to our creative expression as humans. I remember so clearly when I first understood how art was so directly tied to the time it was in and the culture it was created out of.
I love that you can trace your route from arts to history to fiction writing and as importantly, that you found your tribe. I too relish the discovery of new tribes over time, as new places and formats (like Substack) reveal themselves and open up new windows. Thanks so much for your thoughtful commenting!
What a superb essay.
Firstly I came to understand you a little more and secondly I now have a much better understanding of geography and what it means.
I studied Arts at University. What on earth does that mean, these days? TBH, it fits the image of the studious notaries of the Middle Ages, swanning round Bologna, Paris and Oxford in black robes. But in the 1960-70's?
In those days it meant a bit of English Lit, a bit of history, a bit of geography, a bit of politics, ancient civs. A mish mash of all that is phenomenal in the history of the world and some amazing drop dead gorgeous fashion and music!
We had to choose Majors, didn't we, after our first year, and still not knowing what I wanted to do, I chose history because I've loved it forever. And God knows why, I chose International Politics. Not knowing that everything was beginning to fit together like a fateful little puzzle.
But my ultimate BA fit me for nothing and even then I didn't know what I wanted to do. Do we ever at 17-18? So I did a diploma of librarianship where I learned to be a researcher and I was eventually delivered to the media where, like you meeting your husband through geography, I met mine through TV and radio.
What research and the study of history did do was give me a lifelong love of the Middle Ages which led me to writing fiction. Wierd, isn't it? Did I find my tribe? Yes - indie hist. fict writers, mainstream hist. fict writers and now Substack folk - serendipity I suppose. Don't you think?
Sabrina, What a wonderful essay on geography. I, too, am great at connections but not willing to limit myself to one field. That must be why I ended up as a geography major for most of my undergraduate time. I loved cartography! But could not imagine myself confined to the field as it was then. Oh if I had only seen my later life in IT. As it turned out for my senior thesis I picked a French school of thought and then found that all the research was in French. Yikes! No Google translate back in the dark ages so I struggled through and actually got pretty proficient at reading French. I too found that the career prospects were pretty slim and took a long pause on education. After a five year break I went to finish my degree and found the fastest way to finish was to flip my major and minor, and so I became an economist. Economics is so similar to geography as you describe the study of the interactions of people and their environment. Not as dissimilar as you may think.
You two geographers are dear to may heart and I hope that we see more of each other.
Robbie
I did not know that you studied geography! I suppose I should not be surprised. Funny you mention that about economics: I actually eagerly took a macroeconomics class my first year thinking that it sounded exactly right for me. I barely passed. I was heartbroken, and I think the professor and I were both also mystified as to how I could be so completely incapable of understanding. I stayed away from economics after that experience.
And agree that we need to find ourselves in the same place more often ❤️
This was such a great piece Sabrina! I didn’t understand the nuances of Geography before reading this, and have to say that after seeing the descriptions of courses here I realized that I’ve never taken a geography course. No wonder I’ve felt lacking in my geographical skills! What a fascinating and wonderful field, and I’m so glad that you found it!
And like you, I never had any idea of what I wanted to be when I grew up, except possibly a ballet dancer when I was about 6 years old and had started taking ballet lessons and loved them. 😀 And honestly I never found my “tribe” or work passion but, very similar to Patricia, I started working in banking (during a year taken off from college to earn money), also found I really enjoyed “process” type jobs, and did a slew of different administrative and organizational management jobs in banking, higher ed, law and health care over the years. So it was a potpourri of things that kept me interested, and when I got bored every 5-7 years or so I’d move into a different type of process work. Not much advance planning there, but it worked!
Thanks for the opportunity to reflect back and also to read about your wonderful experiences.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the post Martha! So many of us fell sideways into our work life, for many reasons (good and less good, but that is for another post!). Luckily, many of also found the kinds of work we enjoyed, and so the topic or sector was almost incidental to the way we worked and the skills we used. It is wonderful to hear everyone else's stories—thanks for sharing yours!
I love your description of Geography... I had no idea, just a vague memory of memorizing crops and mineral resources and physical features as rivers and mountains. And then it all immediately escaping from my brain. I love the cartography portion; that really appeals to my love of detail and art. I do remember using those tiny stick-on letters for something, but the nature of the object receiving them escapes me.
A great deal escapes me these days. Sigh. That is why it is so nice to be reminded of people and places. Like Bodie. And the view of the White Mountains from my brother’s porch. We’ve been to the Bristlecone Pine Forest visitor center. The University field station is just up the road. Well, miles on a very zigzag road. And the many times I’ve driven past Mono Lake.
I was a sorority girl in a psychology major. And then didn’t know what to do after college (after the medical schools I applied to crushed my dreams of being a doctor). With the encouragement of my uncle I ended up in a banking mgmt training program. I was the operations manager for a retail bank branch, back in the day we did everything in the branch, and this intro to Process really spoke to me. Not only did I manage people but getting all of the departments humming along together and balancing at the end of the day was quite satisfying.
Never found my people there though. Not until Matt and Ali were in high school. My people were the parents of all their friends. Like you.
Ahhh, I wish that more geography could be taught through literature and other wonderful non-fiction stories (John McPhee and a million others) describing life in places and why settlements developed the way they did because of their resources and where food could be grown and flooding...alas. The East side-I love seeing your photos (and paintings!) when you visit your brother. You are the queen of process! I'm glad that you found one of your superpowers through that career. And I'm sorry if I dissed your sorority major-we were not yet ready to be each other's people! I love the joy that we can discover new people at all times in our lives; it is harder, but possible. And I suppose it is that hope that keeps us all going. ❤️
Haha! No dissing taken. I totally understood the picture you were painting, and did not disagree. ;-)
I just loved this post. I never found my tribe but I was drawn to geography for the same reasons. I try to share with my students how important it is to think like a geographer. And I too had a cartography class that sounded like yours.
Thanks for your comments Joanne! So glad to hear you are passing on the importance of geography to your students! Yay!
Hi Sabrina, to answer one of your questions: No, I don't think I've grown up just yet. :) I used to hate Geography when I had to take in school in Germany but reading about the things you got to study and learn about, I'd probably enjoy it now. I like to learn about many different things and am fascinated by nature and people.
Thanks for your comments Susi! I think a lot of us had boring geography classes in our early years; lots of memorising capitals and river names, and less about the people and why they lived in certain places. Maybe we get more interested in these things as we get older too.
I'm very delighted to hear you haven't grown up yet!
I am so glad you wrote this. I enjoy hearing your journey to you. It is heartfelt and genuine. Thank you.
Aww, thanks Amy. I'm so thankful you took the time to let me know. ❤️
Geography is my tribe, too! I'm so glad we found each other in that Cartography lab! But before that, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up - except I knew for sure I didn't want to be a teacher, which is what everyone asked when they found out I was a geography major (confused look, then "oh, will you teach?"). But look at me now, retired teacher, wouldn't have it any other way. Just goes to show that asking elementary school kids what they want to be is a ridiculous assignment. Most kids pick Magician, anyhow - maybe because they just want to be able to do a disappearing trick from the scrutiny of their teacher's (or nun's) eye. 🙈
Ha! I love that you heard magician the most! I never had the creativity to even think of that!
I'm ever so glad we had that class together too, and all the years that followed as a result. Geographers are indeed a wonderful tribe, and I hope that someday it is as popular a subject for education in America as it is in other parts of the world. Then maybe kids would have another option if they are asked what they want to be when they grow up.😉
Such a fascinating post, Sabrina! Just yesterday I was sent an e-mail with the question 'When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?' I'd gone away to think about it (and have yet to reply) - and now that I've read your post, it seems I'm not alone in not having known the answer back then! I feel in much better shape to give my answer now - thank you. 😊 I had felt rather ashamed to not have one! 😕
Ohh excellent, not just me then! 😄 I've always struggled with the description of what I do or am or have skills to do. I hadn't really realised that I never knew from the beginning what ai wanted to do until I wrote this. Thanks for your comment and I hope you've got some answers now!
It’s amazing what writing can uncover, isn’t it? 🙌
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Prue. I love when people find out that geography can be more than the boring stuff.
Studying the arts sounds like it was a human focused version of geography in a way: learning about all the things that influence each other and contribute to our creative expression as humans. I remember so clearly when I first understood how art was so directly tied to the time it was in and the culture it was created out of.
I love that you can trace your route from arts to history to fiction writing and as importantly, that you found your tribe. I too relish the discovery of new tribes over time, as new places and formats (like Substack) reveal themselves and open up new windows. Thanks so much for your thoughtful commenting!