I’m currently on the verge of completing my last fall semester of university. One more winter semester to go, and I’m officially done with my time at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).
It’s crazy to think that the past four years have been focused on studying and making the most out of my future career and path. I’ve laughed and cried, but most of all, I have focused on chasing my dreams of becoming a reporter — just like Rory Gilmore did. The one thing I wish I could force myself to believe is that everyone has different timelines.
It’s expected that the minute you are done with graduation, you already have your full-time job set up and you are ready to become an adult. It’s what society expects; if you don’t follow, you are simply considered a failure.
I’m lucky enough to have a family who supports me along the way and doesn’t put that pressure on me. However, unfortunately, I do it to myself.
Graduation is one of the many important stepping stones in one’s life, and I’m eternally grateful to be so close to it, but the anxiety and stress that comes with it is part of the package, too. It’s scary to think that in six months, my life will shift completely. My routine will be different, and I won’t be part of the same student life I’ve lived for the past few years. And let me tell you something: that is a scary thought.
Although I always try to remind myself that everyone is different, it backfires at times. Just because someone got a job six months before they graduated or started working the day after graduation doesn’t mean I have to. At the same time, just because someone started working a few months after graduation doesn’t mean I have to.
Everyone has their own goals and future paths to follow. There is no such thing as a career timeline. Living in a modern world where everyone can take as many chances as they want and do whatever makes them happy, it’s okay to do the same.
Graduation is a time to reflect and think about all the achievements you’ve completed so far. What comes next will only be better.
It’s easy to get absorbed by academic stress, but again, it’s only part of your journey to success. At the end of the day, you have your goals and dreams, and it’s up to you to make the most out of them.
My dream is to become a reporter; what I do to get there is up to me. I know the steps I need to take, the time I need to dedicate and the person I need to become to get there. I’ve been working on it for as long as I can remember, and the best is yet to come.