You Never Know...

I spent my lifetime wondering and worrying about a plan. The public school system taught me to schedule everything, plan a career and choose a school that would prepare me for that. I have no angst towards the school systems, I'm not one of those guys, but I guess I'm writing this to say being different isn't always bad. For some people, packing your bags at the end of summer and heading off to college for the next four years is the path they were meant for. To study diligently, head to a library every day and have a crazy weekend on Greek row to celebrate the test you aced in your Friday morning class -- that's their dream. That's college. 

As I enrolled for my online classes today, I realized that I wasn't doing what I planned for. I planned to attend college, get my degree in business and wear a suit five days a week to cash in a nice pay check on Fridays. Enjoy a suburban home, live in the same area I grew up in and raise a family with the woman crazy enough to have children with me. It's safe to say that 'sticking to the plan' is no longer part of my plan. Let's be honest, I don't have a plan nor do I want one. I ditched that idea.

It's been two years since I graduated high school in 2014, and I will be damned if one teacher in that school would believe I am where I am right now. Before I walked on stage to get my diploma, an unnamed science teacher told me that I 'screwed up for four years and got away with it, let's try to not  do that again these next four.' 

I took those words pretty literal. I had two full-time jobs at 18, completed two semesters of college and blogged about Michigan football for free online. After months of just being a random 19 year old kid, who thought his free gig to write was the coolest thing ever, I took a job at Rivals to write full time. All of the sudden, I'm on planes to watch the game and write about it, I'm driving to downtown Chicago to interview the Big Ten Conference's players and coaches and I'm living a dream.

After months of that entry level gig in this business, I was offered my second salary job to write about football, needless to say I took it. The job description had a requirement of a bachleor's degree, yet I don't even have an associate's. It said I needed three years experience, but I'm just now reaching one. There was a hidden message at the bottom that said 'you can't do it,' but there was a voice inside my head that told me I could. It's surreal to be in this spot. To be honest, it doesn't even make sense. But, there's no way in hell I'm complaining.

I wish I could tell my mom about my job. I'm not in contact with her, but I know that even she knows this is what I always wanted. I come home every day to my father's proud questions about the next recruit Michigan is getting, and even he asks who the starting quarterback will be. I have grandparents who weren't even surprised, it's as if they knew this was my destiny - that's incredible. My little siblings are so encouraged and intrigued by it, even Daniel already considers himself an ESPN analyst. 

From two full-time jobs and chasing a college degree in a dorm room, to leasing my apartment in Ann Arbor with my full-time journalism job that allows me to work from home, life has taken a 180. 

I've been down and out, sitting in my dorm knowing that I wasn't happy and wondering how I would manage to get a grade up. When that science teacher told me that before I walked on stage, it killed me and made that (usually) crowning moment of holding up your diploma extremely confusing and upsetting. I like to think I redeemed myself and proved his solar system obsessive self wrong. That's not an insult, he really loved the solar system.

The point is, I never filled out my planner and I still don't. For my entire life, I was taught to not know what was next, that as soon as you plan around something, that something will fail you and you're left without any plan whatsoever. When all of this journalism jazz took off for me, seemingly out of nowhere, I didn't know how to react .. I didn't know what to say or think when I was offered that job, I just prayed I made the right decision.

Through all of this, through my entire life, I have learned one thing -- you never know what's going to happen next. So when you're down, whether it's in a dorm, hospital, your bedroom, etc., you're not out. You're just getting restarted. Even when you know you're out, you really don't know. Why? Because you never know.

I tell myself this phrase every day since this career hit me like a (surprisingly enjoyable) semi-truck --  you never know. And yes, Mike Stud gave me that idea. 

Never forget that even when you think you know everything, you don't. 

Much love,

Brandon