Grow Where You’re Planted
October 25, 2023
Author: Libby Zufi
Editor: Abigail Peacock
“You may not know where you’re going in life, or what path you choose to fulfill, but you will find value when you grow where you’re planted.” - Georgia Chief Justice Michael Bobbs
Over the summer, I had the privilege of interning at the Georgia Justice Project (GJP), a nonprofit organization and pro bono legal office specializing in expungements of people’s records, legal representation for Georgia residents living below the poverty line, and public policy for Georgia residents. With little experience in social justice and law but an aspiration to make a difference and explore this field, I entered my internship with uncertainty and a desire to learn all I could from this new experience.
In my life, I have always been indecisive about my next move. I dread the question “What is your major?'' because I never have an answer. My usual reply is a sheepish “I don’t know just yet.” When I began to plan for my summer months ahead, I was unsure of which interests to pursue and if finding an internship was a good idea as I had not yet declared a major. I honed in on an interest I developed in one of my classes, Psych 210, through which I volunteered in a maximum security institution during my first semester of college. After applying and getting accepted, I took a risk and decided to explore the criminal justice field.
During my internship, I was assigned to do data entry for the Metro Reentry Facility, an all-men prison in Georgia that offers inmates reentry programs so they have resources once they finish their sentence. I had never done data entry before, and I wasn’t sure if I was the right person for the task. Chief Justice Boggs came to speak to my intern class and told me to “grow where I am planted.” I decided to apply his advice and, through trial and error, I quickly learned that I was capable of succeeding in this role. I developed skills in areas I had never studied and became close with my fellow interns and staff at GJP.
If I had let my intrusive thoughts talk me out of my decision to intern at GJP, I would have never developed the knowledge about the justice system and realized that this is a career I may want to pursue. While I may not major in criminal justice, this internship taught me that every new experience is a valuable opportunity to learn something about yourself.
Although college is supposed to be the time when we can be completely undecided, how could we not get caught up in decisions about the future? This internship reminded me that I am on track to figuring out my future, one experience at a time. I succeeded at GJP and created new opportunities, memories, and friendships. For those who struggle with being indecisive, sometimes the best way to start is to just grow where you’re planted.
Image: Julia Bonnano
