For those who have just graduated and are sitting at home with their hand on chin wondering what their next move will be, this one’s for you.
And, for those who are one year post-grad and are still not quite working in the field that’s printed on the most expensive piece of paper they own — a.k.a your diploma — this one’s for you, too.
We’re left wishing that there’s a “how to be an adult” manual that’s a one size fits all, but the reality of it is that each of our lives is different; and it’s those different situations that we go through that allow us to end up in our destined career. It is important to know that you may not end up in your dream job/career right out of college; it is going to take some trial and error, and probably even working a few jobs that make you roll your eyes a million times over.
It can be a frustrating, especially in the age of social media, where you see your friends and family posting about all of their accomplishments and you are still trying to find your footing. It can be disheartening to people who feel like they cannot get where they want to be in life and that others are just coasting by. You scroll through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and see pictures of people traveling, buying new cars, and moving out into their new apartment/home, and you then begin to self-internalize all their accomplishments and make yourself feel crappy for not going through those milestones as well.
But, the thing is, we must learn that other people’s successes cannot be our success story as well. We need to learn how to internalize their success and use it as inspiration to achieve our own success. It is time to stop our never-ending pity party.
The time spent scrolling through social media sites like Facebook and Instagram liking posts (I am guilty of this) and feeling a sense of dread that something similar is not happening in your life.
The people we follow on social media sites that have all the amenities that make us go “oooo” and “ahhhh” we forget sometimes that they work hard for what they want. When we are sleeping or are too tired to wake up early in the morning, they are up at the crack of dawn ready to tackle their to-do-list for the day. It all comes down to what you are doing in your life to set you up for the life that you want in the future. For example, if you currently live with your parents and want to move into your own place in a year, what are you doing to prep for that right now? Or if you would like to obtain your driver’s license or buy your own car even? What are you doing to obtain those things?
Success is an objective concept that is different for many people. We cannot look at someone and think ‘I need my life to be just like that,” because you both live different lives and even if you have the same end goal, your journey will be different. The most important thing to do is not lose sight of your goal and not compare your journey to someone else’s. For some, it is easier said than done but just be mindful there is more than one way to reach your dreams and even if you fail, you know what not to do next time around.
In the end, the post-graduate struggle is real and it may make some of us nervous, but the sooner you realize you are not alone and that life is one big trial and error then you will get along just fine.
Article written by Kaycia Sailsman.
