I can’t count how many times I have been asked that particular question during my senior year of college, especially in my final semester. Truth be told – I have no idea what I’m going to do after I graduate. Yeah, I have some ideas floating around in my head but nothing set in stone. I mean am I really supposed to know? Probably, but I’m just not there yet.

I don’t know what I want to do after I graduate but it’s not because I’m lazy. It’s not because I don’t feel ready for a “big girl” job. It’s simply because there are many, different possibilities for me to choose from but I’m afraid I’ll choose the wrong one. I’m afraid I’ll choose a possibility that doesn’t make the slightest difference in the world. You see, I don’t want to go down a career path that will leave me stuck working in a dead end job from 9-5, five days out of the week. There’s just this fiery passion inside me that won’t allow it.

Although I don’t have a specific idea for what I want to do after I graduate I do know a couple of things. I know I want to help people. I know I want to help animals. I know I want to help the environment. I know I want to help make our world, in any shape or form, a better place. I want to help humanity move in the right direction towards ending world hunger or having world peace or whatever else. I know those ideas are extremely bold and almost unrealistic; however, I would feel immensely better going to my grave knowing that I at least tried to pursue them.

I know there’s a place for me that will allow me to able to pursue one or two or however many of these ideas but I haven’t found it yet. As you can tell, I am still vehemently looking. I am trying to find that company, or program, or whatever you want to call it that will help direct me down the path I should be walking. I absolutely refuse to settle for an ordinary career path straight out of college because it’s what I’m supposed to be doing or because it seems like a good fit for me. I need to find something with meaning. Something that will make me light up everyone morning knowing I get to help improve society.

So for everyone who keeps asking what I’m going to do after I graduate the answer is still I don’t know, plain and simple. I won’t sugarcoat a lie for because it’s something you want to hear. I don’t even think I could make it sound convincing. All you need to know is that I am trying. I am looking. And I am hoping to be in pursuit of something extraordinary.