As an almost 23 year old, unemployed and semi-homeless post graduate, I realize I am just about the last person on earth qualified to give advice, but whatever. I'm really trying to stay optimistic here, but I'm kind of pissed at the world. I'm pissed that a year after graduation, I have nothing to show for it. Why didn't anyone tell me it was going to be like this?
Ok, college graduation was amazing. The day was surreal and blissfully happy and I loved everything about it (well, besides my schools 5 hour long ceremony in 95 degree heat. That sucked, actually.) College was the time of my life. My family was behind me the entire way, as always. The problem is, they're just.... sooo annoyingly proud of everything I do and so blindly confident that I will succeed. They are just too nice and they love me too much, is what I'm saying. I know this may be a strange thing to complain about. I'm blessed to have grown up in such a loving and supportive environment but sometimes I just wish their admiration was a bit more conditional.... I want ask them, what the hell are you so proud of me for? I haven't done anything!! This was the easy part! I wish someone had just taken me aside and shook me and told me the truth: college is over, time to wake the fuck up.
This is what's up: the real world isn't going to be this rosy little bubble where you are great just for being you, most people aren't going to be overly impressed with your bachelors degree, and in fact no one in the real world really cares about your success. Unless of course, you give them a reason to.
Yes, college, quite possibly the best four years of your life (though I'm still hoping not) is over. Life as you know it is over. And yet.... it goes on. The world isn't going to stop for you so if you don't put yourself out there, you will get left behind. Don't let that happen!
The truth is, for most of our lives we've been set up for success. Each year we're assured that as long as we register for classes and get decent grades we can make it. And we do, year after year.... it's great. It's so easy! Why would any one not come to college? After graduation, though.... well, no one out here really cares if you make it or not. You have to show them that you can, and you have to work to create your own success. No one is doing it for you anymore. Most of all, you really have to believe in yourself. I know, I know, just believe and anything's possible? Yeah right. I know. But seriously. If you don't believe in your own abilities, why on earth should anyone else? You are capable... you can do things. Anything! Something! Surely you can do something, so go out there and kick that somethings ass!
After graduating, I didn't feel like I was really qualified for anything. I thought I was stupid, honestly. It wasn't until I got out into the real world that I realized.... actually, I think I'm smart. I do know things. Fuck, I'm smarter than a lot of these idiots.... yet no one is giving me special treatment because I have a degree. Why should they? I haven't given them a reason to. They don't know that I have these great ideas, and big dreams, and talents. And yet here I am working these stupid minimum wage jobs. And I'm better than that. And you are too, if you've come this far.
I know it may not feel like graduating college is an accomplishment, but it is. If nothing else, at least you can bullshit. That is an art.
Of course, that's not to say that any job is below you. And there's nothing wrong with minimum wage jobs. Hell, I'll work for free if it's something I want to be doing (and I have.... a few too many times now.) My point is, you don't need to settle for something you aren't really happy doing. Just ask yourself, is this the direction you want to be going in? If not, you need to work to change that because no one else is going to.
A lot of people are dumb. Or, to put it more eloquently, everyone is smart in different ways. And in spite of the fact that these certain individuals may be lacking a specific type of intelligence, they are still functioning in the real world! You don't have to be a genius to make it. That's why you gotta believe in yourself. Honestly, if you're questioning yourself, that's a good thing. This means you are self aware. You are normal and receptive and willing to learn. Anyone who thinks they know what they want to do for the rest of their life is most likely an idiot and will probably have an existential crisis later. You're getting yours out of the way now (at least that's what I keep telling myself....)
Unless you are one of those strange people who has known what they want to do with their life forever (forgive me for my statement in the previous paragraph, I'm just jealous...) you probably have a lot of different interests, and a lot of different things you want to do. This is quite normal, I think. They don't say you've got your whole life in front of you for nothing! The clincher is, you just have to do something. Or maybe you want to take some time off, travel the world, work on a ski mountain, whatever. That's fine too. What you absolutely can not and must not do is nothing. I know, thank you captain obvious, right? But having so many different interests and so many different opportunities.... it's overwhelming. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm a cancer and when I don't know what to do, all I want is to go back into my shell and drink tea for a while. And that kind of is what I did.... so think of me as your example of what not to do. But why would you do nothing, you ask? Ok, so I didn't literally do nothing. The problem was, I wasn't exactly sure which direction to go in and so I waited. And waited. And waited for the perfect opportunity because with so much out there, surely I could find something that was perfect for me. Something that I was fully qualified for. The truth is, that job doesn't exist. And though education is important, the only way to become truly qualified is through experience and... well, none of us really have that when we graduate. It's kind of a crap shoot so you know what? Just go for it... something will work out. Trust me.
