“So, what do you want to do with the rest of your life?”

When I was choosing my 10th grade classes at 14, I felt like I was locking my plan in for good… and I had no idea what I wanted.

A year later, I had a chat with Mr. Tim, our school’s intern social worker. At the age of 40, he’s back in college. Here’s an excerpt from his story—from having an established career in dance and theater to starting from scratch in social work.

Tell me a little about what you’ve been doing with your life up till now!

First, I went to undergraduate school and studied theater and dance. […] I worked as a professional dancer, actor, clown; I waited tables, taught soccer classes, I’ve done some teaching artist work for about 15 years. I lived in Michigan, Chicago, New York, and a year in Belgium! Then, I started to change my focus. I began a graduate program to get my master’s in social work at NYU Shanghai Campus, and I’ll complete my degree at NYU in New York.

Mr. Tim in his dance years

Did you ever have a dream job as a child?

I had one in 8th grade: I was quite sure I wanted to become an architect. I’m not sure why; I was just amazed by the shapes of buildings, how they work, and how epic they can be. I got excited about all the possibilities! But then I took an architectural drawing class, and I learned that a lot of being an architect was figuring out things like plumbing and electricity—which, when I was in high school, was a little less glamorous. Although, I still wonder what would happen if I wanted to pursue it.

Have you ever felt that you have had your life plan figured out?

Probably not. There were times when I was in theater and dance when I felt like I knew what kinds of projects I wanted to be involved in, but the theater lifestyle is inherently very transient, because most of it is just projects. I’ve been a bit restless.

You used to study theater and dance, which may be considered by some to be impractical subjects. Is there a point in studying something that does not have a real-world application?

Yeah! You might be surprised where it comes up, either as an interest or a job. I have the impression that most jobs these days have unexpected overlaps. Your other interests may serve the work you do, even if you never expect it.

A friend from social work school told me that a writer advised them to go into writing, because it helped them understand different people’s stories. And this is something I say all the time—I’ve been asked to do different roles. Unexpected skills are useful.

What’s something you learned from theater that you use right now?

Attentive listening. A good performer needs to be in tune with what the audience is experiencing. Being a performer, a therapist, and having a conversation are completely different things, but they all have listening in common—understanding what the other person is communicating, both verbally and non-verbally. 

Mr. Tim performing at a show

Do you have any funny stories from work? I remember you mentioned working as a clown at some point.

I’ve had a lot of fun jobs! [Here are just a few:]

In Chicago, I used to be a cheerleader for a circus punk marching band. It was a sort of post-apocalyptic joy army of weird ragtag marching band players.

I created a very, very short one-man show. At a costume sale, I found what looked like a birthday party dress for a little girl, but it was already made in a size to fit me. So I made a short show where I played a five-year-old girl throwing herself and everyone at a birthday party.

There were many fun outdoor experiences. I was outdoor for a bicycle festival, I did dance theater pieces, just contemporary concert dance. I was in a production of The Seagull by Anton Chekhov that we performed outside on the East River in Manhattan at sunrise!

Do you have any idea what you’re going to do next?

I’m getting a better idea pretty quickly. […] I’m more confident now than when I was starting out that I would like to be a therapist, perhaps for adults. And I think there’s also room within it to iron out the specifics. If it helps at all, I’m 40. There may be something else at 60—who knows?

Mr. Tim presenting his internship work at NYU Shanghai

The classes you choose, your college major, even your first job doesn’t determine the rest of your life. Take it easy, explore what you love, and don’t be afraid to make bold decisions.

You can find the complete interview in issue 2 of The PVLSE.

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