Say hi to Heather, today’s Millennial Of The Week! Heather currently is a graduate student in Chicago, IL. She is studying International Public Service and hopes to eventually get into technology consulting, possibly for government agencies.
Welcome to Millennial Of The Week! This is an interview series conducted by Millennial Community – we are a group of like-minded young people who support each other, talk about life as a millennial, work on projects & ideas that matter and challenge the status quo of the world we live in. Let’s dive right in!
Are you a member of any online communities? If so, what made you join?
No, not really, at least not formally! I think I joined the Community as a way to not only support my friend and former roommate (shoutout to Ramona!), but also to get to know other people who are going through similar things with jobs, school, personal life transitions, etc.
What are – in your opinion – the most important skills a millennial needs to cultivate, and why?
Adaptability is probably the most important skill. By nature we’re probably more adaptable than some of the generations that have come before us, but developing an ability to adapt to a variety of situations and surroundings will make any transition easier. It also, I think, can make us more empathetic and understanding people. So definitely adaptability, and probably some computer programming, just to start to get a handle on understanding how things work and some logical reasoning.
How are you practicing those skills in your own life?
That’s a good question! I’m a graduate student, so taking advantage of my free time to learn new skills that I might be able to apply in my career, or taking opportunities to travel and see something new, even if it’s just a neighbourhood of Chicago I haven’t explored yet.
What is your personal definition of success?
Perceived success comes from so many different places, it’s hard to pin down. I think for me, I find small successes in the strength of some of my friendships. But ultimately, if what I’m doing makes me happy and I feel like I’m contributing to something bigger than me, I will feel successful.
What are YOU seeking help in at the moment?
Just staying motivated while finishing up my last quarters of grad school and starting the job search!
What excites you about being a millennial?
So many of the millennials that I meet have this capacity to think so big, and I get excited when I think about millennials in management positions or writing legislation and making laws, us taking these big thoughts and ideas and putting them into action.
Quick Fire Questions
My current passion project
A Leslie Knope compliment generator!
I am most grateful for
My education and my friends!
One of my role models (and why)
Elon Musk, he is a visionary of course, but his dedication to his projects and businesses is truly inspiring. He has one quote that I think of every single day, 
and it really inspires me to keep working and learning: “the only thing that makes sense is to strive for greater collective enlightenment.”
Best advice I ever received
Take your work seriously, but not yourself!
My biggest challenge
Probably believing in my own competence and abilities.
Being resourceful means ___
Knowing what you don’t know or can’t do, and how to leverage the skills or knowledge of others to fill in those gaps.
