I feel like once you get to your junior and senior year of college society has this idea that you need to have your entire life and career path figured out. I’m here to let you know that you don’t have to. I can speak from personal experience as a junior in college that I do not have a definite plan of what I want to do after school, and I’m learning that that’s okay. I’ve been thinking about what I would like to do once I graduate for literal months. I feel so pressured to make a decision about what I want to do with the rest of my life right now and no one is putting pressure on me except myself. I feel like the possibilities are endless yet the paths that I possibly want to explore are completely different.
One possible career choice would be to work in publishing. I have always loved reading ever since I was little. I’ve had a passion for books, and that passion has grown immensely as I got older. Getting to read manuscripts all day and working with some of the authors I idolize like Jenny Han, Sara Shepard, and Laura Taylor Namey would be a dream come true. Those authors have written books that have impacted the world of imagination, dreaming, adventure, and romance immensely.
Another path I have considered is working in social media as a content strategist or content manager. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed social media until I started using it more and that enthusiasm only grew when I realized the endless possibilities of social media. Social media is often brought up in a negative light but there is so much positivity, empowerment, and creativity on social media. It’s a place where people can be themselves and encourage others to do the same. It’s a place to connect and relate to others, maybe even learn a food/household/studying hack or two.
Another road I have considered is graduate school. I have all of these questions surrounding it when I think of the possibility of going to grad school. Would it be better for me to jump into the career pool and start getting experience? What could I do with a graduate degree? What would my financial position look like while going to school, if I decided to go? The truth is I don’t know what I want to do for the rest of my life right now and I’m okay with that because I will figure it out. I have the power to make decisions on my own without feeling pressured to know exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life. If you’re reading this and you are feeling the same way I am, just know that it’s okay to not know, you will figure it out, and you will make the right decision in the end for you. Just remember as my favorite professor says, “You Got This”.