The day after graduation is a weird sense. You feel overwhelmed, a little sad, majorly excited, a very accomplished. Because you did it! You graduated! That is a huge deal. And you can say that “The tassel was worth the hassle.”
But now what? You may have a plan, you may not. And both are okay. You may know your exact next step; where you’re going, who you’re going with, and how you’re getting there. Or, you may have no clue where your next destination is, who will be by your side, and how you will arrive. Many don’t know.
The day after graduation you wonder, “What do I do now? I have no structured schedule, nowhere to be at a certain time, no friends to see on the regular… What am I doing?” I know as a very recent graduate, I ask myself these questions all the time. Who will I hang out with now that I have no people I see every day? What will I do with the hours that are no longer planned out for me?
The answer is this: I will cherish my moments as a graduate; whether it’s from high school, college, or in my case, trade school for makeup artistry. I will build my skills. I will work. Hard. I will put myself out there and make new friends. I will form a schedule for myself so I have the structure I need. Because let’s face it: In the real, working, cut-throat world, we all need those skills to survive. We need the diligence of knowing how to live by ourselves and being only dependent on us because at the end of the day, we are the only people we can truly count on.
So, to my fellow graduates, or even people who are wondering what the heck to do next with their lives, work hard, be diligent, practice the skills you’ve been given, pursue what makes you happy – even if it doesn’t wrack up the six figures. Travel and wander and get lost in the nature we’ve been given – it will help with the clarity of your mind. Thank the people that support you. And if you leave home, don’t forget to call.
Our journey is just beginning. Our future has already begun. Our past has defined us and now we have the chance to let what’s in front of us shape us into who we strive to be. Best of luck. We’ve got this.
