I know my graduating seniors can relate; post-grad season is coming way too soon. One minute we’re picking classes and complaining about assignments, and now it’s planning my graduation photoshoot. I’ve been seeing all the girls create their “post-grad diaries” on TikTok, romanticizing the moments after college, and honestly…it makes everything feel even more real. On top of that, everyone keeps saying the same thing: “You’re going to miss this.” I believe them. That’s probably why the biggest advice I’d give my seniors is to document your journey. Take the pictures, record the random moments, keep the memories. Because even though I’m eager to leave, I already know that future me is going to miss living with my friends, including movie nights, and the accessibility of college life.
And it’s not even just the big moments that feel important right now, it’s the little, random things that used to feel so normal. Walking across campus, running into people you know, and last-minute plans that somehow turn into the best nights. Those are the things I’m starting to realize won’t always be this easy or this consistent. College really creates a bubble, and being on the edge of stepping out of it feels exciting but also a little unsettling.
They say comparison is the thief of joy, and I’m really trying to hold onto that. But it’s hard not to look around and see people with solidified post grad plans. Like, jobs lined up and grad school acceptances, and not feel a little stressed. I won’t lie, it gets to me sometimes. Right now, my main goal is just to graduate, but there’s still that small voice in the back of my mind wondering what my life is actually going to look like after this.
I just started applying to internships and jobs… I know, I know. It feels a little late, and maybe it is, but I’m trying not to be too hard on myself. There’s a part of me that wonders if I should’ve taken the “safe” route and gone straight to grad school. But if I’m being honest, I really need a year to just breathe and reevaluate my life. Four years of constantly moving from executive boards, internships, and jobs is hard enough so planning for the next thing has been a lot. I want to be really intentional about my next steps instead of rushing into something just because it allows me to hold off the real world.
I’m also learning that not having everything figured out doesn’t mean I’m behind—it just means I’m in a different phase. Everyone’s path looks different, even if social media makes it seem like there’s only one “right” way to do things. Taking time for myself doesn’t make me less driven, it just means I care about making the right decisions for me.
Everything will work in divine timing. That’s something I truly believe, and it’s honestly what’s gotten me this far. Every opportunity and every pivot it’s all played a role in shaping where I am right now. So even though things feel uncertain, I’m choosing to trust that what’s meant for me will find me.