By Lauren Holcomb | LTVN Reporter
The most dreaded and polarizing question you can ask a senior is, “What are you doing after graduation?” Some people have had a contract signed since August, while the rest of the pack cowers in the shadows, scared to admit they have no idea. I am here to tell you that if you still do not have a plan, you are not alone. It may feel like the end of the world, but here’s why it is not.
I feel like I should give a disclaimer before I start. I do have a job lined up, but that was only made official within the past month. Before that, I was lucky to get a rejection email. There were tons of opportunities that completely ghosted me, and I still have not heard back from them to this day. Everything fell into place for me the way it was supposed to, and that is how I have the faith that it will happen for you, too.
According to a 2022 study, 41% of adults did not have a job lined up after graduating from college. Newsflash — that’s a lot. I have known more people than I can count on my hands that were a part of that 41%. Now, they are doing great. Some are working, some are studying their way up the higher education ladder, but all of them have found their places despite feeling like they would not.
One of the best ways to grow as a person is to be uncomfortable. I am a planner at my core, and I hate when things do not go the way I wanted them to. However, I have noticed that I become the best version of myself when I am living in the moment instead of holding out for the future. The future does not care what we want. I believe in God and that He has a plan for every single one of us.
Just because our plan is not on the same timeline as our friends does not mean it does not exist. I mean, seriously, what 20-something-year-old should be scrutinized for not knowing their next life move? Seniors should be thinking about where they want to eat dinner with their friends that night. We do not get to be in our 20s running around Waco every day for the rest of our lives. We are only going to be college seniors once, and time is precious.
Success, to me, is not defined by a name on a legal document. My success is being happy, passionate and driven. I may dislike living in the unknown, but I have the wisdom to know that’s what makes life more fun. Those measures of success may not always align with what we think is the ideal post-grad plan. But when that happens, I think the right plan is just waiting to knock on our door.
