Congrats, Grad! Now What?
A few weeks ago, I was officially given a “college graduate” title. Now summer is around the corner, and I’m working a part-time job that just barely pays the bills. Graduation is a time for celebration! But once that’s over, then what? Some have connections and the perfect 9-5 laid out right before them. The rest of us have no clue what we’re doing.
I’ve been applying and applying for any sort of full-time job that I could possibly be qualified for with no luck since Christmas. We’re at this strange point in our lives where it may be time to say goodbye to our food industry and retail jobs to begin working in the area we’ve been studying for the past four years. And yet, we’re still not qualified for those due to “lack of experience.”
At my backyard family graduation party, I was asked over and over again, “Now what?” “What’s your plan now?” “Are you going back for grad school?” It was so humiliating to simply say, “I don’t know.” Why do we have this expectation that everything has to be figured out the moment we’re graduated? Does it come that easily for everyone else?
As someone entering freelance, I’ve been reluctant to dedicate my time to just that. In my head, I needed to find a good full-time job so that I could pursue freelance and grow my small business on the side. Creative jobs are much less likely to give us a steady income, so for many of us, the only way to succeed is to overload ourselves.
Regardless of the many places we all may stand post-grad, I’m sure most of us are still scared for our futures. We’re stuck in a quarter-life crisis, if you will. Us twenty-somethings are expected to be successful and still live life to the fullest: travel, have fun, try new things, ALL while being expected to work hours after hours to get a degree, save money, pay off loans, invest. We have to do it all right now. I’ve found myself overloaded by social media, watching YouTube videos of people who just seem to have it all figured out, with the perfect routines, perfect job, perfect clothes (hats off to Olivia Rodrigo for giving us “jealousy, jealousy”). There’s this illusion that our early twenties mean that we’ve finally made it. We finally achieved the dream.
As I have been learning these past few months, it’s okay to just relax for a little bit. There is no rush to get the ideal job, move to the best city, or make the perfect salary. I find that great opportunities arise when we least expect them. Personally, I have been living paycheck to paycheck with loan payments, car payments, rent, and so much more, but I’ve also been able to really enjoy the more simple moments. No more homework! The sun is shining! I’ve had to remind myself that this is something to celebrate, and not just for a week or so. We post-grads worked hard, and sometimes, you’ve just got to take a step back, thank yourself for making it as far as you have, and take a breather. As I constantly am trying to tell myself, life is actually quite long. There’s time to figure it all out.
This is the first time in years where I have weekends? Free time? This is all quite unheard of in my household. I’ve finally had to the time binge Gilmore Girls, which I’ve been itching to do for two years now. My Letterboxd account has never seen so many reviews from me! They say summer doesn’t exist after graduation, but it does if you make it. This doesn’t mean we don’t have priorities. Life isn’t simple enough to blow off our payments, our jobs, or our deadlines, but trying to accomplish everything too quick will only burn us out, so I’ve learned.
I spent months just aching over the job application and pitch denials until I realized there is no deadline for all of my successes and achievements. As I give myself the time and celebration I deserve, inspiration and opportunities will come with that. There is no set path for any of us, and there is no need to fall victim to the post-grad quarter-life crisis as I did.