So last week it happened. I received my first rejection letter for a post grad opportunity. I was heartbroken, enraged, and annoyed all rolled in to one. On paper I would like to say that I fit the requirements to a T. I mean I hadn't even gotten to the interview stage yet so that's all they could base me off of. I dwelled on the rejection and the lost hope of having an amazing first opportunity for a few days before I finally wound up feeling more annoyed at myself than the company. This was the first position I had applied for, and as exciting as the thought of landing the job was, I needed to be realistic.

For as long as I can remember the job search has been the most dreaded part of growing up. We spent our entire lives learning what someone else wanted us to know, then four (or more) years learning what we wanted to know, and then comes the time where you actually get to apply alllll of that knowledge, and most people end up having to work in a different industry or random position until they finally catch a break.

My rejection, alongside having the dread of the search embedded in my head, made me want to crawl in a hole. I may or may not be a tad bit dramatic. But either way, the next step in life did seem quite daunting.

Once the initial wave of panic passed I realized that I don't necessarily have to nail a job just yet. I can take a little bit of time to be proactive in making myself the best candidate for whatever positions I end up pursuing.

So this is the plan, and no it's not advice-I'm in no position to do that, I need to re-evaluate exactly what types of positions I want to start in, the areas of the country I could potentially see myself in, and focus on what I can bring to the table.

As a media student, I not only need to make sure that my resume is pristine, but also that my portfolio shows the best work that I have done so that I can really put my money where my mouth is during the application process. Step next would be to have a professor or someone in the professional field go over these things and to ask of them their honest opinion.

I need to take advantage of the mock interviews set up by my school's career center. I need to find a professional outfit that makes me feel confident and actually prepare, even though it's faux.

Finally, I simply need to research. Research everything I can about potential positions, leave no rock unturned. Be realistic with myself, my capabilities, and interests to ensure that I land a job that will be the best possible foundation for my future.

This little "beginning of life crisis" has probably been the best thing that could have possibly happened to me, maybe besides actually getting that job, but I digress. I know that the next coming months are going to be trying in more ways than imaginable but I think I'm ready.

There's nothing to fear when you have full control of your own reality.

Also, it doesn't hurt that we don't have to enter the real world for at least a few more months.