Who said that you had to have all of your ducks in a row?
The thought of not having a plan after graduation is now becoming a reality for many students preparing to walk across the stage in the coming weeks. Family expectations and “should have, could have and would have” are probably sitting on your shoulders as we speak. However, I am here to let you know that it is okay to not have a plan after you have officially turned that pricey tassel.
Outside of the societal idea that you have to have your life set in stone by 18, that does not ring true for everyone. We do not all aspire to be doctors, lawyers or teachers or to even have a plan that is practical so that we can at least be able to pay our phone bill. Somewhere along the line we gave ourselves unrealistic expectations of the real world and what it expected from us. In the process that we forgot to stop and think about what we wanted for ourselves that goes beyond four or five years of undergrad. Knowing that you have crafted a certain lifestyle that you want to live up to is not only stressful if you do not meet it, but also upsetting because you may feel somewhat insufficient. However, it is not the end. Many times we forget that we are twenty-something young adults who are just now figuring out the world around us and how to reshape it (because seriously, it needs some work). Even in that we do not give ourselves enough breathing room to maneuver it to our liking.
Even those dreaded questions “what are you doing after graduation?” or “where will you be working?” make you cringe a little on the inside until you respectfully reply…
There comes a time when you have to decide for yourself that you may not always have a plan and that it is time to set realistic goals for yourself. Maybe you have heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals before, this acronym is something that many of us probably learned in the freshmen seminar class that you dreaded attending. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Yes, this does sound a little corny but hear me out! This acronym is very applicable to your life if you take heed to the words and what you want to accomplish. Whether it is landing an internship or traveling the world to help those in need, you can acquire the space to do so, but only when you know that you are ready.
Do not allow the fear of not having a job or graduate school acceptance letters deter you from the path that you are on, you are walking your own path for a reason! Take this time for a mental break and to truly focus on a passion of yours or if you are having a difficult time finding that passion use this time to figure out what it is that you truly love to do. However, if that does not suit you take time to relax and decompress from your undergraduate years.
Overall it can become a let down when you get on Instagram or FaceBook and see all of your friends and classmates living their dreams, but there is always one thing to remember and that is everything is not as it seems. The comparison game is one that will take a toll on you if you allow it and will easily deter your from what you are really here to do. The only thing you should focus on at this point is to make it to graduation first. Whether you have a plan or not, there is always a time for you to do what you feel works for your life. Getting to graduation took years to do and you have worked so hard for this degree, and whether you believe it or not everything else will follow.
Overall, no one is saying to completely ignore your parents, mentors and those rooting for you but it is a time for you to truly listen to what you want to do. Maybe you were super involved in college or maybe you were not involved at all. Regardless of the scenario, this is your season to make a change worth seeing in your life. Take a vacation, save your money, volunteer, travel, write or get creative! Whatever you decide to do, do it with passion. There is so much your young life has to offer that it would be unfortunate if it went to waste. Nonetheless, make your impact on the world and always remember that a lack of plan does not mean that you are lacking.