“So, what’s your plans after graduation?”
The question every soon-to-be college graduate receives and dreads to hear. Like many others, my answer is always “Well, I don’t quite know yet.” And that, my friend, is okay.
Everyone prepares you when you are a senior in high school that your next big step is to find a college you feel that fits you. You go, study, have fun and make memories while at it. But that time, those short four years, go by way too fast. And ultimately, when it is nearly over, has you questioning “well, what’s next?”
I don’t think this is a phase of life any one can prepare you for. You are new to the work world, technically, fresh out of college with lots of dreams and aspirations in your heart, but you don’t even know where to start. You have family, friends and peers trying to give you advice by telling you what they think you should do, but the real question is what do YOU want to do. Do you move away from your hometown and start someplace new because you never got to experience that at the beginning of college? Or do you stay put and be comfortable with what you have known your whole life?
It is so hard. It is hard to not technically have a plan. It is hard trying to please everyone and also trying to please yourself in the long run because this is YOUR life and YOU get to determine what you do with it. Currently, I feel like I am being pulled in a million different directions and I cannot even tell you what I want to do. Maybe this is because I am a people pleaser and always want to make everyone around me happy, whether doing what my parents want me to do, or doing what my peers want me to do, or even doing what I think my friends want me to do. But I have never been more confused in my life with what I want to do next. Who knows maybe just stay in school longer to avoid having to answer that question? No, but seriously, I have thought of it.
To those of you that have a soon to be college graduate in your life, here are my words to you:
Please do not tell them what or what not to do, let them figure it out on their own. It may take them some time but trust me nothing makes a person more confused than when they have multiple people tell them what they should or should not do with their life. They are already confused enough.
Please be there and support them. Whether you like it or not. Whether you like the decision they made or not. Love them and support them in all their future endeavors, this is supposed to be a happy time, of course!
Please understand they have other factors that play into their decisions. With being in a relationship for three years now, my boyfriend and I had to have some long hard talks all pertaining to what we are going to do after graduation. If you are in a relationship or marriage, you know it talks a lot of compromise to make both parties happy. These talks were not easy and they were hard for us. And many times not even the closest people to us knew we were having to deal with these difficult talks about life. Although, we still do not know what will happen after graduation, we do know we want to be together and that is the most important piece.
Please know what they decide to do is what they feel is best for them both life and career wise. We are young and we still have a lot to figure out, but just know that their decision is solely based on what they think best fits what their ideal job would be for the life they want to live.
Please support their career choice. If they want to do sales – awesome! If they want to be a writer – great! If they want to go back to school for their masters or PhD – wonderful! Whatever it may be they want to do career wise. Support it. End of story. Do not snark at it or say you won’t make any money doing so. Chances are this is a career they are passionate about and brings them happiness. So please, like I said, support them.
So, if you happen to have a loved one nearing their college degree, please just be there to love them, support them and give them advice when it is needed. They are more confused than ever and they don’t need to be even more confused in this time that should be consumed with happiness.