Your Dream Job Will Still Be There When You're Ready
Start writing a post
Student Life

Your Dream Job Will Still Be There When You're Ready

Today I didn’t get my dream job, and that’s OK.

19
Your Dream Job Will Still Be There When You're Ready
Janko Ferlic

Today, I didn’t get my dream job, and that’s OK. I was in the interviewing process for a position that would’ve been perfect for me -- I made it to the second round of interviews, but didn’t get the job. At first, I was a little disappointed -- the decision came down to the fact that I’m finally going to graduate school. Timing can bite you in the ass, and there isn’t much you can do about it. The past two years, I’ve been applying for positions, with hopes of getting my foot in the door; with hopes of stepping that much closer to my goals and my dreams. It’s OK. I’m glad that I’m OK.

Let’s work with a little bit of honesty for a moment: I didn't have ‘time off from school’ worked into my plan when I graduated. For all I was concerned, I was going straight into a Master’s program (hoping my student loan debt would leave me alone while I worked on my next degree). I graduated with my Bachelor’s almost a year ago; I struggled to find a job in my field that would take me while waiting to hear back from graduate schools. I worked for a local baseball team, but when the season came to an end, I had to find a job. I bounced around between a couple of other jobs, growing restless with my unmet desire for work that actually interested me. I would get upset with myself: why isn’t this working out? What am I doing wrong? My mind only correlating happiness with a good job, because that’s what we are brainwashed to believe when it comes to adulthood. The fact of the matter is, I’m not supposed to have my dream job quite yet, and that is OK.

When you’re 24 and already “behind” on the plan that you’ve set out for yourself, staying optimistic can be challenging. I live with a lot of anxiety, especially about my future. I’m terribly afraid of failing or straying away from my plan. Most of my young adulthood up to this point was spent fighting to get back on the path that I laid for myself. The most terrifying part was that I kept changing my mind — throwing myself off the tracks. You’re allowed to change your mind; I just didn't know how to handle or how to approach my new views on my life. Changing your mind isn't self-destructive. Changing your mind doesn’t bring clarity overnight. I went to three different schools during the course of my undergrad because my end goal, where I wanted to be, kept changing — realistically, my end goal became clearer.

With changing my mind and rerouting my goals, I learned more and more about myself than I would have before. In the early stages, my goals were broad and hard to hone in on a focus — I knew I wanted to work in education, but maybe being in a K-12 classroom wasn’t for me. I knew that our school systems needed to change, but didn’t understand how I could influence change in the discipline that I was studying. I drove myself crazy trying to figure out where I fit in this world. Every time I ran into a wall, I turned around and looked for a different way out.

I wandered around without a map. I am the first in my family to go to college right out of high school. I am a First Generation Filipina American, and at 19, I attempted to navigate the higher education system with little foundational knowledge to propel me forward. When studying in a program that prepared teachers, I became aware of the things our K-12 education system does that were in fact harming their students. When attempting to make my way through the higher education system, my eyes opened to the ways our universities and colleges failed their students. I lobbied to our state’s Senators and Representative, making them aware of the ways that universities and colleges fail in advising and helping their students graduate. The programs in which you study and the requirements outlined by the university butt heads, and university advising and counseling offices don’t have the manpower to help every student. For the larger part of my undergrad studies, I was trapped by the pressures of graduating on time, immediately moving into working world and living the American Dream. That’s what we are supposed to do, right?

No. And that is OK.

I’ll say it again for the folks in the back: IT’S OK IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR DREAM JOB! You don't have to be unhappy if your life isn't where you want it to be, and you are allowed to change your mind!

What it boils down to is this: I may think that my dream job is the answer to all of my questions, but I am not equipped for my dream job quite yet. I still have dues to pay and a lot more to learn before I can truly succeed in my dream job. I obsessed for so long over timelines and perfection that there was never any room to change my mind.

This world is a hard one to navigate when nothing stands still; everything is constantly changing, including your mind and your values. It took me six years to make it out of my undergrad — six years, three schools, four different programs, three different minors, three collegiate sports teams, and friends that will support me until my last day. Those six years made me understand where I need to be. While my expectations for myself are internalized from the make-or-break culture America loves, I learned a lot from my past and so much to learn in my future.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

59158
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

38230
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959700
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

196919
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments