I’ve never been good at planning for the future. As a typical college student, I’ve been asked a thousand times what I want to do when I graduate. My answer is the same: I don’t know. When that response is reciprocated with blank stares, I spew a few things that I could do with my major and minors. I’m a straight-A student armed with a resume bursting full of work experience, yet I feel like I don’t have any direction in life. I figured if I could make a one-year list of goals, then I could work my way up to five and ten years. So, I decided to create my senior year bucket list, and I hope it helps someone else who might also be struggling with answering what they want to do after graduating.
Take a voice acting class
I’ve always thought that voice acting was so cool. My best friend tells me from time to time that I would make a lovely audio book narrator. Let’s see if a professional agrees!
Write, direct, and film my own short movie
This is going to be one of the harder ones for me. I love filmmaking, but I have hardly any experience with it. I want to create a project where I can practice my techniques and create something that I’m proud of.
Write for our school newspaper
I wrote my first article last semester, but I really want add a few more well-thought-out pieces before I graduate.
Land an internship
This might be the scariest goal. It’s going to happen, otherwise I won’t graduate. Out of everything I need to do, this gives me the most anxiety. I’m going to have to pick where I want to work, but as we all know, I don’t know what I want to do yet. I’ll have to start applying in a few months, so say a little prayer for me.
Move into my own apartment
This is one thing that I know I’m going to do, but I haven’t figured out all of the details yet. I’m excited to be on my own. I want to be able to cook for myself and pay a few bills. It won’t be glamorous, but I think it’s an important stepping stone to adulthood.
Take a makeup class
Makeup is one of my passions. I love the creativity involved and how it can give so much confidence. One day, I think I might pursue becoming a makeup artist, but for now I want to learn as much as I can on my own.
Become a waitress
I keep going back and forth on whether or not I want to do this, but I think I will. I’ve worked in the food industry since I was 15. I think that I owe it to myself try it. I get nervous about waitressing because I know there’s going to be failure. I’m probably going to mess up an order or drop a plate or something else that could ruin my, and almost certainly someone else’s, night.
But one of the waitresses at my current job reassured me the other day. She had gotten several tables sat all in a row, but said that she would only have to struggle for a few minutes before she could handle everything again. Her advice has transferred into other aspects of my life, and I carry it with me whenever I’m having a hard time.
Travel to Paris
I’ll be studying abroad in Belfast this fall semester, so I’m hoping to spend a weekend in Paris. This is a little bit scary because I don’t know if anyone will come with me. I’ve traveled on an airplane by myself, but I had friends waiting for me. I’ve never spent time alone like that. I'm not sure how it'll end up, but I'm excited to finally put my high school French classes to use. Parlez-vous francais?
Some of these goals might feel like small steps, and you’re right. I still have a lot of learning to do. I want to be learning my entire life. I understand that change is a potentially difficult process, but when I think of who I was the in last two years compared to who I am now, I always want to change – to improve myself.
Some of them are a lot bigger and scarier. I’m hoping that along the way, I find out more about what I want to do for the rest of my life. And even if I don’t have an answer by the end of it, I hope I'll have found a little more direction, had a belly full of laughs, and discovered more about myself.
