JULIE FROMM / ASST. OPINION EDITOR

The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of  The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.

I recently attended my first Compass Program Event, held by USD’s Career Readiness Program. I’d been putting off attending the event until this year, my senior year, and was now looking forward to gaining some helpful information about preparing for life after college. The presenter began by telling us that her hope for us through the program was to have an answer for our distant relatives at Thanksgiving when they ask, “What are your plans for next year?”

Comments like these completely diminish my excitement toward the future. What I hoped would be an exciting exploration of possible jobs or further education programs has now become the race to find the best answer to “Do you have anything lined up for next year?” 

I’ve come to think it’s time that we change the narrative surrounding post-graduation plans. Due to the fact that I don’t know where I want to be or what I want to do once I graduate, I’ve felt an immense amount of anxiety about the future. So, instead of asking, “What’s next?” consider asking, “What are you looking forward to next year?” Graduating from college is a great accomplishment and shouldn’t be overshadowed by always looking towards the next step. 

The pressure to know my post-graduation plans comes not only from myself but from seemingly everyone around me. The questions about my future pop up constantly, whether it be from family, friends, teachers or fellow classmates. While these inquiries come from a place of love and curiosity, I can’t help but feel the underlying pressure of the questions. I thought that I would have more time to figure things out, but these conversations started well before this school year began — as early as the end of my junior year. 

As much as I would like to keep burying my head in the sand and pretending like the future isn’t quickly approaching, I know that I’ll have to start figuring out my plans soon. I also know that I’m not the only one experiencing these feelings of dread surrounding the decisions that lie ahead. My friends and I have discussed at length our fears about choosing the wrong vocation, or the feeling that we’re supposed to have our entire career timeline mapped out by the time we’re 22. 

Part of my anxiety towards making a decision revolves around the idea that my first job or position out of college should be excellent- something that reflects what I want to do for the rest of my life, but this is completely unrealistic. 

According to a recent survey conducted by Poets and Quants for Undergrads, a social network focused on undergraduate education, 79% of college graduates are expected to leave their first job post-graduation within one to three years. The working world is changing rapidly with the rise of stay-at-home work options and faster employee turnover, and therefore the path you choose does not have to be the path you stay on. 

There is something to be said for being prepared ahead of graduation day. Many of my friends and fellow classmates came back to school this semester with return offers from their summer jobs and internships. They have the ability to completely skip the anxiety-ridden period of life that I currently exist in. Finding internship opportunities earlier in college rather than later can be a great way to try out a career path that you think you might be interested in. It can also be a time to figure out what you don’t want to do, and that is time well spent, too. 

It also must be said that the ability to shape your own future is a luxury that many people don’t have. Amidst the stress of graduating, job-searching and interviewing, it can be easy to forget that receiving a college education, an internship position or an interview with a potential employer is not a given. As overwhelming as the process can become, it is important to remember that the search for the next step is a privilege in itself. 

However, no matter how much rationalizing I do, the future is still scary. If I was offered the chance to look into a crystal ball to see my future, I wouldn’t say no. But part of the excitement of graduating college is the unknown. It’s important to remember that we’re in our early twenties, and have time to figure out how we want to spend our lives. 

I hope that by the time I throw my cap into the air at graduation, I’ll know what my near future looks like. But until then, I plan on embracing the unknown in the months ahead. he next time I’m asked what my post-graduation plans are — maybe by those distant relatives at Thanksgiving — I’ll feel empowered when I say that I’m still figuring it all out. 

It’s okay to feel uncertain on graduation day. Photo courtesy of @uofsandiego/Instagram