So, I am a newfound college grad! Yay! I was able to earn my Bachelor’s degree from Miami University (OH) in 3.5 years. It was quite anticipated and I was more than ready to release myself from the grips of an institution. I truly love learning- from people, experiences, places, podcasts, etc.- but for me, there was something driving me crazy being tethered to such a small town in the middle of cornfields (quite literally).

I was truly excited to be graduating, but it was almost a bittersweet period of time because I had no plan for my life, career or purpose beyond college. At one time, I felt like I had figured myself out and could follow through on a path that would both make my parents proud and help me feel accomplished with the focus I had committed my life to. That all seemed socially reasonable, but there had to be more to life than working the 9 to 5 and holding onto the weekends. I realized that I would not fair well with these characteristics of a job when one job I held as a Medical Scribe, had me so restless and unhappy in it when I would have to work strange, varied hours, in addition to factoring in a commute to get there. On top of that, the people that I was shadowing were also unhappy with similar work conditions and often vented their frustration to me. So with all of this, I struggled to want to continue on to commit to more school for a position that was already foreboding frustration.

With this realization and ensuring quarter-life crisis in the summer before my last semester of school, I was left with no plan, no job, and questioning all things I had once been so sure in at one time. In fact, I found myself feeling like a bit of a failure because I was comparing myself to my friends who had great jobs lined up. I realized that this expectation of having life figured out after you graduate from college is such an unrealistic stigma induced by a society that had their priorities in a capitalist mindset. There’s nothing wrong with this, but the same people who define their wealth by monetary standards, are the same people who place heavy stress on having a big job earning large yearly outcomes. But what if I wasn’t one of those people? What if that kind of wealth wasn’t going to be enough?

Once I realized this, I tried my absolute best to relish in the moment, be truly present in the relationships that I was experiencing with my time left at school and prepare myself for the excitement that comes with the world being my oyster (whatever that means) once I graduated, despite being plan-less.

“Okay, that’s all great and super reflective, but now what?” The resounding question that curious people are dying to know when celebrating a recent grad. I still struggle with wanting to do things that make my parents proud, doing something that is related to the degree that I just worked so hard to earn, and I certainly do not want to be unproductive. But I also don’t want to lose myself and my life by going through the motions of a mediocre job that’s just paying the bills. Kinda seems like I should find some Utopian society in the middle of nature with lots of peace, love and happiness, huh?

There are certainly things that I would love to accomplish in this coming year and stage of my life. Though I have this terrible habit of committing to places, people and experiences without first figuring out a verified process to get me there. Cause if I don’t, I easily talk myself out of the validity of the original desire. It’s actually a process that works out rather rewardingly for me. I’m signed up to run a marathon in Utah, cause I want to run a marathon and Utah would be a really gorgeous place to do it, and cause I can. I have plans to travel abroad for several months at a time, just cause I’d like to go there. But I don’t quite know exactly where I’m going to stay, how I’m going to sustain myself or what I’m going to see. I have high hopes that things will work out, I will adapt and have to figure something out, and that allows for experiences invaluable to me.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on picking up jobs teaching english online, possibly at a local restaurant or coffee shop, and maybe be an au pair somewhere. I’ve also been creating and marketing handmade clay earrings at Ray of Sunshine Creative Co. where I can incorporate my passions of making things with my hands, travel and photography (a literal dream come true). The hard work that I am putting in to outlets in my life are bringing me joy, and though their not necessarily super glamorous, it’s the mindset that I have chosen to help me fully appreciate where I’m at, not disappointed with where I should be.

What am I even trying to say with all of this? Well, I’d like my experience and realizations to be a comfort to you, if you find yourself in a similar situation or place in your life. The way that society makes you think that you have to have your life figured out or a job in place once you finish school…or maybe even the pressure that you must attend a university in the first place, does not have to be the case for you. Find what sets your soul on fire, and get after it. Don’t worry about failure or not having the perfect plan. You’ll never make it if you don’t even start in the first place.

Now What??

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