Preschool leads to kindergarten.
Kindergarten leads to grade school.
Grade school leads to the awkward years of middle school.
Middle school leads to starting to find self and high school.
High school is an attempt at prepping you for college.
College leads to career.
Career leads to change in career?
Masters leads to...
As some of you know that until next week (internship ends) I do therapy with college students. Many of my seniors are not sure what they will do for careers or their first job. Many of them agen't sure if they want to stay in this area or explore other parts of the world. Some of them are in panic mode and some are pretending to be calm and collected.
I was fortunate to graduate with a job after undergrad in advertising. I didn't have the anxiety of "what's next?"...despite the not great starting salary, financial independence was in sight.
When I decided to change careers, I did just that...decided. I applied and made the change, and while this had its challenges and scary moments I at least "knew" what was ahead.
So now I'm a later twenty-something and I'm in the same boat as many of my seniors who are 22.
I don't have a job laid out and nailed down, I don't have a solid plan on where I'd really like to be, although likely for cost and whatnot, I'll likely stay fairly local...although there are things that feel like they could pull me elsewhere.
Unlike undergrad I don't have financial stability in sight, though I know that I will, I just have to be patient.
Despite not being too worried (faking some calm and collectedness) I am feeling a bit anxious about being cast into the ether and starting from scratch.
I have one week from today until my graduate career is over, I will now have some letters that come after my name, and other than direct loan bills and a diploma that will sit in a $150 frame, I won't have too much to show for it...yet.
I am beyond excited to find my niche, find a setting where I'm around like-minded people, work with amazing clients who while they struggle can be infinitely inspiring...
So I rest assured that this will come, maybe not right away but that is my trajectory.
So why am I still worried? Well you may not know this but I'm human. Big changes and the unknown can be scary and unnerving despite being exciting and important.
I've been paying extra attention to what I tell my seniors about managing expectations and balancing this with having high goals for themselves, as well as trusting that they can make good things happen for themselves and that worst case they can actually make other changes should it not pan out. I've been paying attention because frankly I've been convincing myself this will be okay. It will be better than okay.
There was a country song that I remember from growing up (my step dad and mom listened a lot) that touched me even then...the song progresses through someone's life, with good and bad things such as love and loss...a line that really is important is
"Life is about changing, nothing ever stays the same."
There is great beauty and wisdom in this...
So if I'm living life, accepting change and moving forward, I suppose I'm not as off track as I thought.
Until next time,
E
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