At this point in my life, it is nearly impossible for me to distinguish whether I want to scavenge through LinkedIn for post-graduation jobs or down a very strong and very cold $4 Long Island Iced Tea. Or two. Okay, realistically, maybe three.
What a strange stage of life, isn’t it? Half of your friends are blacking out downtown on the weekends while the others are settling down with rings on their fingers or clocking in forty hours at a salaried job. We’re told that our lives should be planned out a year in advance because “you’re graduating and that’s what most people do.”
But, we are simultaneously advised to enjoy the youth we are granted. How are meant to enjoy ourselves when we are ripping our hair out and drinking alcohol, wishing it was Wonderland’s special potion so we can shrink like Alice to hide under a bed for the rest of eternity?
Personally, I hate planning. Actually, hate isn’t even a powerful enough word; I severely detest making concrete future plans. Life constantly throws you unexpected curveballs and I’m centering all my attention on not striking out, preventing the uncomfortable walk of shame back to the dugout. Who knows what could happen six months from now? Hell, a week from now?
My advice: take it easy. Literally, listen to The Eagles’s song. On max volume, in your car with with the windows down, on the way to a random adventure with someone on your side. Put aside a certain day to sit down and hammer out job or graduate school applications, but don’t dedicate all your free time to do so. I refuse to put my life on hold, my last year of schooling nonetheless, to stress over an uncertain future. Will this potentially bring about more pressure in the coming months when my friends have plans and I’m coasting through life? Oh, 100 percent. But I can guarantee I won’t regret the experiences I created on the way with the people who, very soon, won’t all live within walking distance of me.
The best thing about the future: it’s always there. Possibilities exist for you at any and all times. There are no limitations except the ones you create for yourself. You can choose to be scared of it like a child is scared of the Boogie Monster, or acknowledge it in a “Hey dude, I see you, but maybe we can chat over coffee sometime later on” way. I’ll go with the latter.