As a senior in college, postgrad is becoming REAL.
Its the year everyone waits for when they finally get to graduate and start their grown-up life. Well, news flash…I am dreading it. As we grow up we are constantly asked what do you want to do with your life. My answer has changed almost every single year. When I first entered college my mind was set on med school and becoming a doctor. That quickly changed when I failed general chemistry. I then got the idea maybe I will be a marine biologist and be an aquatic veterinarian. Who the hell thinks of being that?? me but obviously that is so unrealistic. Then I decided to be a nurse. I got my CNA and well once again that was sooooo not for me. Then I figured I would be a physician assistant. Nope. Don’t have the grades for that. So you can imagine at this time I am freaking out. You are right
Finally, in my junior year of college, I decided psychology was going to be the field for me. Now I am set to be a therapist. I found my love in it, and surprisingly I am really good at it. My point here is not to express how I have failed over the past 3 years and have been so lost to the point I had no idea what to do with my life. My point is, people, grow. We grow and we learn from our experiences and failure is nothing but just building blocks to get you to where you want to be. It is ok to not know about your future because you will come to the realization at some point, it just takes that one little thing for you to fall in love with.
Now the question is where to go from here. How do I get the license to be a therapist? I have known since I declared a science major 4 years ago that graduate school was going to be mandatory for me. Currently, I am applying to doctoral programs. The reality of myself getting in is about 50%. Yeah very frightening because what on earth am I going to do if I get rejected? This year has been so nerve-racking. Everyone has jobs, a plan, a salary, and here I am applying for 5 more years of school and another 100,000$ in debt.
Post-grad isn’t as glamours as everyone thinks. In fact, it is the day I am dreading. The day all responsibilities get thrown at you and you are forced to grow up.
My advice to everyone is: it is ok to not have a plan. It is ok to not want to grow up. And especially do not compare what your plan is to other’s plans. I have friends all set to make 60K a year yet I am still excited for my profession when I will start making an income in 5 years. We all have different plans, and we all have different professional desires. But for the time being, while you are in college, please enjoy it. It will soon all be over and then life is real. So while you get to be a kid, and drink until you die and make the best memories with your friends, don’t stress on post-grad. Live in the moment because when you get to the stage where I am at, the stress will be at an all-time high.