It’s often said that college is the best four years of your life, and I can’t disagree. They were definitely the best four years of my life so far. But I still have a whole lot of living to do. Adulting might mean replacing Thirsty Thursdays with some much needed sleep, but it doesn’t mean I can’t ever have any fun. I still take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lime, and a shot of tequila.
In our parent’s and grandparent’s generations, it was the norm for people to settle down at a much younger age, stick to one established career path, and raise a family. Granted, it was probably a very comfortable and secure way of life, so it makes sense that they’d try to project that “ideal” lifestyle onto everyone else. Even so, I can’t help but wonder why I keep getting the nagging question of, “What are you doing now?” since I graduated, as if I should already be married, employed full-time, and having children immediately after receiving my degree.
Well, the answer to that question might come as a disappointment, but I’m not ready to settle down just yet. They may have chosen the slow and steady path early on, but I’ve decided to pave my own that’s full of adventure.
And what an adventure it has been! Since I graduated, I’ve been doing a lot of fun and valuable things with my time. Like going on an East Coast road trip with one of my best friends from New Jersey to Florida, stopping in each state along the way to see what they had to offer. I’ve worked at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, then returned to the part-time retail job I’ve been working at since high school. Currently, I’m interning a NYC-based online magazine and volunteering at a community theatre to raise money for high school kids planning on going to college. For extra cash on the side, I also deliver food at a restaurant once a week. Plus, I’m planning a trip to Egypt in the spring that I can’t be more excited about.
No, I don’t have a firm job title despite sending out what seems like an endless amount of applications. I just haven’t had much luck finding something I really want to pursue that also fits into my wild and crazy schedule. At this point in my life, I want to keep my options open while staying grounded. I don’t want to be locked into boring nine-to-five doing something I’m not passionate about and will look back on as a waste of time, even if it has a high salary. I want to enjoy my life while I’m still young and my vitals are strong — is that too much to ask? Judging from the steady flow of disapproving comments and pressure from those around me, that unfortunately seems to be the case.
But I try not to let it get me down. After all, I’m lucky to even have a roof over my head, good food on the table, and a wealth of friends and family who support me. And really, isn’t that enough? I am doing so many things that I find fascinating and beneficial while embracing my freedom and piecing together my identity along the way. I work hard. I’m not directionless. Money isn’t important to me so much as just being able to pull yourself out of bed in the morning and say, “I tried, and I will try again tomorrow.” To me, that is true success.
I may never rich, but at least I’ll never be boring. I’m a writer, a traveler, a feminist, and an adventurer. I’m the person on the street who stops to pet every dog I see. The friend who is always down for a shot or a cup of coffee. I’m a free spirit, who is fearless and yet terribly, terribly afraid. And I think it’s okay to be afraid because the future is a scary thing. I may not always be able to survive like this, but I am embracing every moment of it while I still can, and I think this defines me much more than any degree or job title ever will.
Post-grad existence will have you questioning a lot of things, but it will also give you immense freedom to take your education and time and use it however you want. As someone who’s been through it all and survived, my only advice to students is this: Do what you love. It’s easy it is to experience an identity crisis after losing the structure and motivation of college, but don’t worry about finding a job straight away. Your job doesn’t define your identity. As long as you’re doing something you enjoy, does it really matter what anybody else thinks? There will always be a way to make it work, so don’t sell your soul or give in other people’s ideals of how your life should be run. Remember: it’s your life and your happiness.
Spend every penny you have while travelling to a foreign country you’ve only dreamed about visiting. Or better yet, go volunteer and make a difference. See your friends while you still have the time. Be spontaneous. Take that shot. Get that tattoo or piercing. Never stop growing and creating yourself. And never ever settle for anything or anyone that doesn’t excite and fulfill you.
Do this and I promise: the best is yet to come.
