I fully admit to tending toward a type-A personality, but I really think there’s something to be said for having a plan B (and C, and maybe D, E and F, too) in work, school and life. I realize it can be a lot of planning for nothing if The Plan goes great the first time around—and, of course, I always hope it does—but if it doesn’t, which we know is pretty darn common, the lack of a back-up plan can cause unnecessary panic, scrambling and allover stress.
The Problem: Logistics. Communication problems. Time, time, time. The fact that despite my fabulous school allows seven years for an MPH program, I would like to get out of there as soon as possible (read: I have senioritis).
Plan B: When things on my original project started smelling fishy, I started looking for other options. What I’m working toward now, fingers crossed, will end up to be a better, more manageable project that just happens to sit at the exact intersection of my interests.
The Verdict: TGFPB (thank god for plan B).
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The Plan: To get a way-cool part-time job at a way-cool company that just might have some way-way-way-cool full-time positions up for grabs right around the time I’ll be donning the ol’ cap-n-gown.
The Problem: Great conversations, great sort-of interviews, great (I thought) cover letter. Thinks looked good…until the company decided not to fill the position right now, for a good reason.
Plan B: After clicking “submit” on the application, I came up with all of the things I would do if I didn’t get the job—the most important of which cranking out a bunch of credits in the spring and finishing up both of my master’s programs and projects earlier than I’d planned.
The Verdict: TGFPB.
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The Plan: To run the Twin Cities Marathon like a champ (or, well, just to finish)!
The Problem: Injury. Which you may remember. ‘Nuff said.
Plan B: None. I was going to run, and I was going to finish, and it was going to be the best moment of my life. Duh.
The Verdict: I bawled. And moped. And moved on. And starting practicing a heck of a lot of yoga. And survived. But it was miserable for a while there—and I should have had a back-up plan, even if it was a mental one.
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So I’m currently planning what to do if: another master’s project falls through, I can’t find a job after graduation, my right hip decides it only likes me if I’m not running—and about a million other things. Maybe it makes me crazy, maybe it makes me smart, maybe it’s a combination of the two. But having a Plan B always makes me feel better, especially when I end up using it.
Photo by gingiber































