Since my last blog, a lot has changed and a lot has remained the same in my journey towards graduation and entering the realm of life after college. While I am still unsure about my post-June 14 plans, my state-of-mind has continued on in a positive direction. While making the transition out of college and into the real world seems intimidating right now, it only constitutes one small step in the grand scheme of things.
Let me take a little step back? I've wasted hours upon hours of my time since the beginning of my senior year stressing out about what the next chapter of my life will include. I've searched the web, attended meetings, and talked to countless individuals about possible internships, job ideas, or grad school options. I've contemplated my options, stressed about which is the best of the bunch, and worried that I'm going to end up unemployed and living at home once the last of my days as a Gaucho have passed.
Here is where the big change has been made? I've told myself to stop panicking! For the most part, I've been able to do so as long as I constantly remind myself that anything I do will be an experience, an important part of the journey, and only the very first step in the direction towards my future career. Whether I choose to go teach English in a foreign country, acquire an unpaid internship, or find a less-than-ideal job to hire me, chances are it will not be what I end up doing in the long run, but will have a positive impact on my knowledge or skill base, outlook about my future, and, ultimately, on what career path I choose to follow.
Another important fact that I've come to terms with is the current state of the economy. Because most businesses are being forced to cut costs and consequently lay off many employees, now is not the best time to rely on being hired by the company of my dreams. On the other hand, now is the time to do something that interests me and provides me with some sort of practical experience. I've realized that as long as I continue to be an active learner in whatever field I next enter, I will walk away with something I didn't have before. So, when it comes down to it, no journey I embark on next year will be a waste of time or a setback.
I'd like to end with a quote that I came across one day while reading the back of my Starbucks coffee cup. It read, "The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating- in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life." It is indeed ironic that making a commitment (setting a decision in stone) can have a liberating rather than a constricting effect. In applying this concept to my current situation, I've realized that it's time to start narrowing down my options and begin taking the steps toward committing to just one. Once I've made a decision about what exactly it is I'm going to do, my concerns will naturally dissipate. I'll then have the ability to really start enjoying this new and exciting chapter of my life!
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