Growing up, we’ve all gotten used to the litany of questions that adults ask of us and our plans for the future. It all started with, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” as children. As we entered college, we were probed, “Have you chosen a major yet?” closely followed by, “Do you know what you want to do after college?” That was a hard enough question--after college? I just got here! And now, for the select few of us, we are accosted with countless: “So, what are you doing next year?”
Wait, next year?
If you’re at all like me, you tended to pretend that college would never truly end. Yeah, maybe we knew it intellectually, but our hearts only had room to embrace the 2 a.m. late-nights with friends and avoiding 8 a.m. classes at all costs. Who are these people willing to shatter our thinly veiled illusions with insistent questions of the future? Of graduation?
If your usual answer to the question begins with “Um…” and ends somewhere around “maybe,” you’re not alone. Of the hundreds of thousands that graduated in 2015, only 14 percent of graduates had “real” jobs lined up for after graduation. So all your friends talking about their job offers and already choosing an apartment for next year? They’re in the minority.
But back to you. If you don’t have it all together right now, that doesn’t mean that you won’t figure it out down the line. There are a few things that could happen that, while not ideal, are not too bad. You could get a “real” job, but one that you don’t necessarily love. And guess what, that’s okay. Ask anyone older how many of them had their dream job immediately after graduation.
You could also end up in a job that is not strictly related to your major. While you might find that hard to swallow now, that doesn’t mean that it will be the worst thing to happen. You might end up loving your new job more than you thought. And your previous education and experience won’t be wasted. (College is more than just taking classes, and those classes can teach you more than just what’s on the syllabus).
It can be discouraging, but you will get there. Just keep looking for jobs and be persistent in your search. Put yourself out there in the field you want to go into, but don’t be afraid to broaden your search a bit. You never know what you’ll get.
And in the meantime, try not to answer every question about your future by running away.
