The GetSetUp community has changed Kristine’s life in just three months

Kristine was a career counselor for over 20 years. Prior to that, she was an elementary school teacher before going back to school to study finance. She then rose through the ranks as a banker to a bank manager in Honolulu before taking to the skies as a flight attendant for American Airlines. During her time as a flight attendant, she flew to almost every state, except Alaska.

“My favorite flight was landing in Baton Rouge during Mardi Gras. I didn’t know it was Mardi Gras, but people I was flying with knew. One of the pilots rented a car and we all drove to New Orleans. I got to accidentally experience Mardi Gras and it was lovely.”

As a flight attendant, Kristine moved to five different cities in a few years. When she decided to go back to graduate school to be a counselor, she considered marriage counseling but loved career counseling more. She retired two years ago from a global relocation firm after working there and as an employee training specialist for Boeing.

“It’s been an interesting life! This is why I love GetSetUp. I’m an avid learner. I love learning.”

Discovering GetSetUp

Kristine doesn’t exactly remember how she came across GetSetUp; she thinks it was through her local senior center in Seattle or the library’s website.

“I was just thrilled when I found it. It really changed my life. Today I am taking three classes. Typically, I have one or two and sometimes I do more. I’ve been doing the weekly meditation social group with Glenda since October. I think I’ve taken almost half the classes.”

Kristine started off with an Information Session with Judy since she considered being a Guide. Then she began to take some classes. One of her favorite classes is a Social Hour playing games on Kahoot with Guide Cyndi. She also loved the classes on museums and travel since she’s an avid traveler and connoisseur of the arts. Sometimes, she explores new topics like Nextdoor through a class; she’d never heard of this neighborhood app before.

Embracing New Interests and Skills

With such an exciting life, Kristine is considering what to create after taking a class on publishing.

“I have always wanted to publish my writing because of my interest in psychology and what I’ve learned in my lifetime. I’ve considered writing a book about relationships—what works and what doesn’t work. Or perhaps a book about all my experiences since I traveled and moved a lot. It could speak to tips and tricks on how to adapt.”

Fun chatting, sharing, and learning with others, Kristine is single and hasn’t had a chance to socialize like she was before the pandemic. She has lots of great life experiences to share, so she especially enjoys GetSetUp Social Hours to just chat.

“I’ve had such a great time. I feel so enriched after. It’s just an hour, so a perfect amount of time.”

Social hours and classes like meditation often have many familiar faces in each class. That makes it easy to start to form friendships with fellow learners.

“Meditation is definitely great. It’s amazing to do it with a group of people from all over the country. There are always new people and a few who have done it before. Some of the new people maybe haven’t meditated or are kind of afraid of it. Yet, Glenda leads the whole class to help let people get their feet wet. It’s just a wonderful experience.”

Connecting with Others and Sharing Knowledge

Kristine is excited to try lots of GetSetUp events! From Blogging to Qigong, she plans to learn new skills in these classes or spark new interests through Social Hours on plant-based eating.

“I tell everyone what I’m doing. GetSetUp is great for anyone that wants to connect with people and anyone that is interested in learning something new. There are so many new classes. There is really something for everyone. It is especially wonderful for seniors who don’t think they are good with technology; it’s pretty simple—just get started!”

Kristine thinks it’s especially fun to open the class up, see all the learners, and learn where everyone’s from. She is so passionate about classes that she has decided to go through the guide application process.

From Learner to Guide Applicant

Kristine had considered being a Guide from the start, but she waited a few months to test out the community. She attended a few classes with Deb, including the Meet the Guide Social Hour, and realized that she and Deb had very similar career backgrounds. This inspired her to take the plunge and apply to be a Guide too!

“I waited to apply to be a Guide because I wanted to get a sense for the company. I wanted to see if it really felt like a community. I shared with Judy that the magic is really how the Guides interact with learners. I’m really impressed with the company, and I want to help lead that same energy!”

Kristine is already on track to sharing the GetSetUp energy with others. She even moved her wall decorations down lower so that while she is in classes, others in the class can enjoy the lovely beach images on her wall. Paying attention to little details like that to brighten others’ day is truly inspiring.

“I don’t know where I’d be without GetSetUp because they really have given me a life back. Coming from a life of interacting and being with people and sharing, before the pandemic I really went to feeling like I had no life. This community has made a huge difference in just three months.”

After the pandemic, she is excited to spend more time with people, go to the beach more, and visit Europe. Yet, she doesn’t see herself stopping learning nor stopping GetSetUp. She’s already brimming with ideas she can share with the community, from tours of places she’s been or lived like Paris to career counseling insights.

Look for Kristine in your classes as a learner or perhaps soon as a Guide!