Hi everyone!
I’ve been posting a lot lately about food and drinking, but it’s time for me to take a moment to get serious. Some of you may know that I recently graduated from College (to be exact, I graduated 18 days ago…) and I am currently looking for a job.
If you’re a twenty-something recent grad like myself, you’re probably feeling an array of emotions. Everything is a whirlwind of fun and exciting celebrations leading up to graduation. Possibly, your last few weeks of school were filled with senior events and sporadic day-drinking! Then, all of a sudden, you’re forced to wear a silly hat and robe and it’s finally the moment you’ve dreaded for four years.
If you’re anything like me, you were too caught up in the excitement of graduation to truly realize what was happening. And now (18 or so days later), you realize you are 100% lost. I want you to know that you’re not alone though. Here is a quick look into my post-grad life (and thoughts)…. maybe you can relate!
- The first few days of post-grad life are filled with enjoying the perks of being home again (i.e. sleeping in, and having food in the fridge) However, loneliness begins to creep in when you realize you can’t walk 5 feet to see your best friends anymore.
- Your Mom starts leaving you “To-Do” notes for you on the kitchen table and suddenly you’be become the maid, gardener, trash man, landscaper and cook of the house.
- You decide it’s time to start investing in a new life, so you go on the job hunt. Ah ha! You find a job you’re interested in… “Master’s degree required”, OF COURSE. This probably happens 3-4 more times until you lower your standards and search for entry-level jobs. Then you get really frustrated when the jobs read…”At least 2 years work experience required”….HOW IS THIS ENTRY LEVEL THEN? Sorry I was busy getting educated the last 4 years. This cycle of job-hunting can go on for a while.
- Sometimes you think about all those lucky SOB’s that got offered jobs right after graduation and are moving to the city to start their new life. It’s okay to be jealous of them and curse every time they post a picture from their fabulous new life.
- This only motivates you more. A week after graduation you become “The Cover Letter Master”. You’re pumping out cover letters like a well-oiled machine. Now you’re checking your e-mail in the morning before your twitter when you wake up… a true sign you’re growing up.
- You continue to work hard at applying to a variety of jobs. However, your parents don’t understand the tedious work you’ve been doing hiding in your bedroom and one day at dinner ask: “Why don’t you just get a job?” (as if you haven’t already been trying??!) …and you respond:
- After a while of hibernating in your room job searching, you decide that it’s important to get out and do things still! However, the activities you partake in at home are much different than the thirsty Thursday activities of college. For example: Chasing your Father around the grocery store is not as exciting as you would think. Maybe you attempt to go to the gym with your Mother…until you realize that she is the Queen of her Zumba class and your pizza/beer-loving-self can’t keep up!
- While you are out with your family on these “excursions”, you (always) run into people from your hometown (old teachers, family friends, etc) that want to ask you about your life. And you’re just like:
- Your parents are now getting tired of you. They suggest taking your old job back (you know, the one you refused to never do again because last summer you thought you would have your life put together by now?). And you just say:
- And then you realize you have no money. And maybe they’re right…so you go groveling back to your old job. You promise yourself that it will only be a for a few months until you can figure things out.
And that is where I am on Day 18 of Post-Grad Life. Currently living at home, pumping out cover letters, chasing my Father around Market Basket, going to the gym with my Mother, avoiding questions about my future and working at a job that I thought I wouldn’t need to return to. But I still remain hopeful (and that’s the most important thing!)
Shout out to all the post-grads, you’re not alone!! Here’s a little motivation to keep you going…
PS. If you find the staircase, please let me know. Thanks xo
Twenty Something 