They always say that puberty is the most awkward stage in most of our lives, and I, like most, agreed with this statement. That was, until my “Post Graduation Life” began. Fresh out of college and ready to conquer the world—master plans to be and do something so extraordinary they would write about it someday. Then reality sinks in. Residing with your parents, slapped with bills, responsibilities & a 3 month expiration date to get a “real” job. Problem was, there were limited "real" jobs out there. With thousands of qualified post-grads just like we, how would it be possible to land our dream jobs before putting ourselves into debt? So, we settle and take a job that seems sufficient enough to peak our interest and most importantly start life standing on our own two feet (and off the parents payroll). Who knew car insurance, cell phones, gas, rent and utilities were so costly? The life of 4 day weekends, 5 nights of drinking & spontaneous trips are filed away under “the good ol’ days” and we embark into the world as nearly broke young professionals--Or as I like to call it, the “awkward stage”.
This is the point in most of our lives where the reevaluating begins--Priorities, relationships, career paths. Our elders telling us that experience & longevities are the golden ticket to success. While the wise warn that nothing compares to youth, “follow your passions”, they say.
Passions, eh? I am passionate about a magnitude of things in life, I’m aware of my strengths & weaknesses. I’ve read the books, I’ve done the research. How do I get to that place? Most of my friends are in similar situations, either working or attending grad school, figuring themselves out. We often talk about where we see ourselves going in life—mostly the conversation results in “I don’t exactly know yet”. I regularly hear my older coworker’s utter “oh I always thought I’d be lawyer or fashion designer, but somehow the years passed and I’ve found my place for now.”
Would that be me? I wonder.
For some reason, the topic of careers and success has always fascinated me- especially at my stage in the game...
I recently read a neat Vogue article about a woman who at 35 years old decided she wasn’t doing what she loved. She was a successful practicing lawyer with a great husband and children. Everything about her life was amazing on paper, but not in her heart. She woke up one day and pursued her true passion, reporting. After a great deal of persistence and hard work she became the morning host of a very popular Fox News program. Inspiring
Regardless of the circumstances we face, I think it’s safe to say that most of us have had those pondering life moments of confusion. After all, it is a unique situation to be in; that uneasy yet exciting feeling that you can become whatever you desire. So maybe this "awkward stage" isn't so awkward in the end, sure I might still feel awkward, but perhaps it is this uncertainty that will bring me where I need to go.
So, we might not be doing exactly what we had expected right now, but the possibilities in life are endless. We must embrace the unknown and enthusiastically pursue our future. I realize it will be uncomfortable at times and I can assure it will not be as glamorous as hoped, but if the mind is set on that big picture, you never know what will happen.
As the brilliant Diane Von Furstenberg once said "I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I always knew the woman I wanted to be"
