We just returned from spring break in Hilton Head, South Carolina. It’s one of our favorite places to vacation.
This year, my daughter shot this short video during our trip using a drone:
During our trip, we toured the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) as a potential college for her. She wants to go to school for film and is actually working on making a movie this summer with her friends. They’ve already completed the script and have a full plan to complete the movie including a Kickstarter page to raise funds for the expenses of the movie. I’m a very proud parent.
Several weeks before this trip, I happened to listen to a podcast where Cheryl Strayed was interviewed. Strayed is one of my favorite authors. She has the ability to completely shift how I think. I’ve written about her before and highly recommend her book titled, “Tiny Beautiful Things – Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar.”
During the interview Cheryl shared that she was disappointed in her mother for not pushing her to go to a better college. She said, “Going to Harvard would have been like moving to China. Attending a better school wasn’t in the realm of possibility.”
This comment about her mother instantly changed how I was thinking about college for my daughters. Prior to this interview, I wanted my daughter to go to a college close to home. I figured this would make college a lot easier for the family. Having her go to a better school out of State wasn’t in the realm of my thinking.
I was about to make the exact same mistake Cheryl’s mother made with her. 🙁
Well, catching this BIG mistake led us to start searching for the best film schools and this is why we toured SCAD. SCAD has a great film program, but it’s a 12 hour drive from home. All of the other top film schools are also out of State.
Cheryl’s comment helped me realize my framework for helping her select a college wasn’t in her best interests. I was actually being selfish and not really focusing on what was best for her. This was evident during our SCAD tour as my daughter lit up at the possibilities available to her. The resources available, the movies she would make, and network she would create at a film school would be invaluable.
The extra time and cost to attend a school several states away would be a small investment compared to the extra return available. One comment made in a free podcast may have completely change my daughter’s future.
Thank you Cheryl Strayed.
You rock!
