As a senior in college, I feel like there’s always one question that I can depend to hear at least once a day: “What do you plan on doing once you graduate?” To which I normally respond, “lol, idk something sociology related.” I feel like my response is one shared by many college seniors, except exchange sociology for your degree of choice, of course.
Do I want to go to graduate school right after college? Do I want to wait a few years before I decide if I want to go back to school? Do I even want to go back to school? What company would fit me best? Would this company pay for a master’s degree? How ready am I to commit to a field? For how long should I have this commitment? What do I even want to do? Who am I? What’s my age, again? *cue daily existential crisis*
Every day of my life, I feel a crushing sense of panic because of these unanswered questions. Surely I can’t be the only one, right? Surely every soon-to-be-graduate thinks like this. BUT, what if I told the whole entire world that everything is going to be okay (at least that’s what I’m going to tell myself). No matter what I, or anyone, decides to do with their life is not permanent. This is the age to explore. The age to make mistakes. The age to find your identity. If that means searching through a few million job/internship applications, who cares? That’s part of the crazy adult experience! I know this is probably the same crap that everyone tells you when trying to calm you down, but if everyone is saying it, shouldn’t that mean something?
No matter what, you will always have your degree(s) and, hopefully, a continuous passion for it. As long as you let that passion guide you, everything will be fine. Even if you have no idea what to do with your life or your beloved education, everything will eventually work itself out, for better or for worse.
I also feel that young people are afraid to make mistakes in their internships and jobs once they are fortunate enough to have a lucky break. Mistakes make life spicy. They make your life uncomfortable in the moment, but you get used to it or get over it. Mistakes help you grow and can greatly benefit you in internships and jobs by recognizing when you are wrong or need help. Mistakes humble you. Admitting to not knowing certain things humbles you.
Treat every experience as a growing experience. Turn your weaknesses into strengths. You made it through college, which means you saw something truly amazing in yourself. Turn that passion into something and grab the career that you love, even if you have to run through a couple of not so stellar internships/jobs.