The scene: Eight senior girls sit close to each other on a round, brown couch. A rerun of Friends is playing in the background (the one where Ross gets spray tanned too much and literally turns orange). Each girl has their laptop on their laps and their glances go back and forth from the TV screen to their computers. During the commercials, they furiously type on their computers. In between all the laughs and comments about how ridiculous Ross is in this episode and how Rachel’s hair is “so 90s,” there is a much more serious discussion going on.
The topic: Our lives after graduation.
“I want to live in New York!” says one girl.
“That’s it, I’m applying to jobs only in California,” says another. “I need a change.”
“I’m thinking Chicago. Look at all these great apartments I found! Will you move in with me? Now, if only I could find a job so I could actually live here…” sighs another.
Senior year of college should be the most exciting year yet. With one year left before entering the real world, seniors should be making the most of their college experience – going out with old and new friends, eating at all our favorite places (I’m talking about you, Antonio’s) and really just taking advantage of everything in a college setting. It is our last year before we have to “grow up.”
However, the stresses of being a senior are a daunting one. On top of making sure we have enough credits to graduate on time, are enrolled in the right classes and keeping up with all the schoolwork, there is a weight that is constantly on our shoulders. While we should be focused on schoolwork and maintaining our GPAs, we get distracted by the thoughts of what our lives will be like in eight months. Where will we be living? Am I going to have a job? How do I even find a job? What is a good salary to make? The list of unknowns goes on and on.
The range of emotions that we feel as we continue to sit on the couch and look for jobs is like finding a carton of Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream in your freezer, only to be disappointed that it’s completely empty:
First, you find a job. It’s right up your alley for exactly what you want! Yes! Starting salary is meh, but it will do. Then you realize it’s hundreds of miles away from home. That’s okay I can make it work, you think. Then you start to look for apartments in that location, only to find it’s crazy expensive. The more you search, the more frustrated you get that things will not turn out the way you want. Hours go by and still no progress. Discouraged, you give up looking at jobs and open a new tab on the Internet for Netflix.
Thinking about our future after college is time consuming – it’s like having a 5th class. It is fun to think about our future and where to live, but so stressful once we sit down and try to actually figure it out.
My advice: try not to stress too much. Do a little bit everyday! If you know what you want to pursue already, you’ve already made some progress! If you don’t, that’s okay, too. Most people’s starting careers right after college aren’t the ones they end up sticking with. Stay organized, too – bookmark jobs or cities that look interesting so when you have some free time you can go back and do more research. Your future won’t be figured out in a single episode of Friends.
But it’s never too early to look at Pinterest for decoration ideas for your future bedroom, right?