People Always Ask... What Does a Social Science Major Do???

Good morning.  I thought I would start today on a positive note talking about my very exciting milestone approaching- my graduation from college!  Whew!  I am earning my degree in Social Science, focusing on Sociology and Psychology.  I am graduating with high honors (woohoo) and a 3.85 GPA.  


So on to the question I ALWAYS get asked..  What Does a Social Science Major Do??? First, we need to understand Social Science and how it affects us.  Social science encompasses a vast group of topics, so many that almost every area of our lives can somehow be touched by one of the sciences or another (or many at once).  

Social science, as a whole, deals with people and people fascinate me; from the decisions, how things manifest differently inside based on circumstances and also how resilient people can be. 


There are many areas we social scientists can go into: economics, anthropology, gerontology, sociology, education, geography, history, law, linguistics, psychology, communication studies, social work, informational science, criminology, business studies and political science (and still more to name!)...  


On top of that, there are MANY, MANY additional fields of study (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_science#Additional_fields_of_study).  




I am choosing to take the social work route and focus on families and children.  I am intrigued with the areas of sociology and psychology.  I couldn’t chose between which I enjoyed more, so I declared my degree in social science, as a whole, to get the best of both worlds (group vs. individual functionality). 

Sociologists study people and society, relationships, culture and behavior.  Individuals are highly influenced and impacted by society and groups (sociological); understanding the relationships can help us understand more on an individual level as well (psychological). 

With a Social Science background, I am looking forward to attending the University of Southern California’s Master of Social Work program.  I like this program because it offers various fields to specialize in such as families and children, health, community organization, planning and administration (COPA), and offer sub concentration areas in military social work and school settings. 

I am drawn to the families and children concentration.  I hope to initially begin work in the counseling/problem solving areas in schools, juvenile programs, or family settings.  Coming from an abusive, drug addicted home, I have and am still overcoming issues.  Growing up without a solid support system and without someone to talk to really hindered my interpersonal relationships as an adult and has degraded my sense of truly understanding childhood (since I didn’t have one).  This is something my family and I are working on and have been successful with the proper support.  I want to offer the support I never had to those who need it, whether it be in an office setting, school setting, urban areas, you name it- I want to be there.  

As some of you know, my goal in life is to run a homeless shelter.  This sounds daunting, but I have volunteered at many and there is one I particularly liked, St. Anne’s Center in Odgen, UT.  This center was not just a drug-free homeless shelter for individuals and families, but it also had a job training and placement program.  If you didn’t “pull your weight”, maintain sobriety and also maintain a job, you were asked to leave the program.  If you did your duties and job, they assisted you with understanding finances and even had connections with low income housing units in the area and would help place you in a home. 

This type of program offers much more than just a free meal and a roof; it engages people and helps them get back on their feet to become contributing members of society.  Being able to contribute to your family and society allows the individual to positively influence the economy, which in turn helps everyone.  These are the types of programs we need more of and I hope to one day be able a part of it.   

So, what can I do with my degree, you ask... The possibilities are endless...  Learning is constantly on-going...  People will always be people and society will always influence people...  There will always be a need to us to study ourselves!  

Cheers,

Katie

Controlling My Control.

Well, these last couple months (especially the last few weeks) have been very eye opening for me.  I have had a couple of AH HA moments, epiphanies, if you will... Please bear with this long post and read it to the end...  Many of you will be glad you did..

First, I am not perfect, I am human.

With that being said, many of you who know me, see me all put together in a polished package, doing my thing, being a mom, student, wife, like I have it all together...  Well--- newsflash--- I don't.  I liked to think I had it all together, I liked to think- yeah my life is pretty perfect, when it isn't...  Not because of anyone else, but because of myself...  Let me explain...

**Disclaimer** I am NOT looking for a pity party, I am not looking for the "oh I'm so sorry" comments, I am simply stating items as a matter of fact...

I grew up in an alcoholic & drug abusive home, filled with physical, verbal, emotional and even some sexual abuse.  I learned very quickly that manipulation can "get you what you want" and had to grow up very fast to look after my siblings.  I don't remember much about childhood, except the abuse, being taken away from my mother (while dad was in jail) and entering a foster home for 3 weeks (until he got out) with my sister at the age of 10.

After that time, we lived with my father, where everything continued the same path until I was 14.  My aunt and grandmother took me and my sister in, provided us with the guidance, morals, respect and love they could.  They did a great job and without them- IDK where I would be...

At the age of 15 1/2, I decided I needed structure, more than what my aunt and grandmother were giving me.  I decided I would join the military.  The sense of discipline, self respect, structure appealed to me and I took the plunge.

But all the mental and emotional effects of the abuse had already taken it's toll on my mental state...  Growing up in a home with no control, no sense of safety, no sense of self worth, no rules, nothing left me feeling very, very vulnerable.  So, besides joining the military and trying to find my way, what did I do?  I started controlling the things I had the power to control and if I didn't have the power- I would use manipulation to wrangle it the way I wanted (another form of control).  This worked really well and I became extremely good at it.  So good, in fact, controlling became second nature.

Honestly, (and I have never admitted this to anyone until now- well it really dawned on me today) I had been blaming the end of my 1st marriage on many things, everything except what the real issue was...  And I didn't know what that issue was until now- control.  See my ex and I grew up in a similar lifestyle with the alcohol and the abuse with his father (not mother)...  And in acknowledging my control issues today made me realize we were one in the same (sort of) in the sense we were both fighting for control, just in different ways.  I can't speak for him, but on my end- my need to control drove us apart and ultimately helped end our marriage (wasn't 100% but probably 80%).

Now, fast forward to present day, mostly the same issues on my end- I like to control and when I can't or things feel like they are spiraling downward, what happens?  I get stressed, panic, freak out, yell, get irritable, manipulate, and try to control my control even more- with it continuing on the downward path.

Now, I am not a bad person, bad mom or bad wife.  I am good at all of those- I just have never understood (until recently) that my issue is CONTROL or losing control.  And not understanding that has been extremely hard b/c I always just thought "something is just wrong with me"...  When in fact- I AM A NATURAL PRODUCT OF HOW I GREW UP...

People chose to handle things many different ways...  Some people with similar situations may turn to substance abuse, others may be harder on themselves, many will use coping mechanisms to try and deal with their pain, emotions, issues... I developed a sense to control... Control everything around me, control others, be a part of many things to try and help control, I do many things myself because I don't want to hand over the reigns to others... Not b/c they aren't capable, but because I want the satisfaction of feeling the control.  Sounds pretty morbid :(

I am not the only person like this...  I used to blame it on - oh I am just a type A personality...  When in reality, my personality and mental state are a direct outcome of my upbringing and how I chose (knowingly or not) to deal with life...

I have come to the realization now- this isn't ok.   Spazzing out over things I cannot control isn't ok.  Yelling at the kids or Paul because they didn't do something the "right way" (Katie's way) isn't right.  Focusing more on everything and everyone rather than myself- isn't good.

Madison left to go stay with her dad for 7 months mainly because we fought all the time...  Why?  Because she was "defying" me.  She was argumentative and pushed against things...  Not that everything she said or did was "wrong" (sometimes it was), but sometimes it was just a different way of thinking or doing or whatever and it didn't line up with my way- so we would start fighting...  Where did that get me?  With my girls split (Emily stayed with me and Madison in GA) and me left wondering WTF?! (and letting Madison go was one of the hardest things I have ever done- it was in a sense giving up the control.)

Paul and I are an incredible couple.  We really are.  We share a love that is beyond anything I could ever imagine...  One problem...  You guessed it.. My controlling-ness is creeping barging in...  Nothing major is going on, but enough for us both to notice and see this isn't how we want to be.

Well guess what %^&^!  It was me all along...  Really...  I can't blame other people because I need to take ownership of my faults.  I have tried in the past to take ownership and thought by saying "I'm sorry" I was doing just that, but it wasn't.  Taking true ownership of the problem requires you to understand the problem in which you have...  I didn't- until now.  Until this day- March 18, 2014...
And I can't say people haven't told me or tried...  Paul and my ex both have told me...  Numerous times each...  But I just didn't understand the "what" part of what my issue was...  Having someone TELL you what YOUR issue is isn't nearly as humbling as the ah ha moment you get when you realize exactly what they mean...

You may or may not relate.. You may or may not understand...  It isn't about judging, it is about realizing that not everyone handles adversity the same, not everyone copes the same...  People are unique in how they process information and how they chose (consciously or unconsciously) to channel that information...

We are all just people, humans...  Capable of errors and full of imperfections...

With this, I hope my close friends and family will support me in my journey to the life where I don't feel the need to control every.single.thing.in.sight....  It will be a bumpy road, I know...  but understanding the problem, I can now fix it...

Love Always,
Katie