However, here are 5 things that you have learned in your year and a half of attempting to "Find Yourself." Well....I think it's more accurate to label this as the "The Five Struggles I Have Encountered As a Post Graduate"
1. I Want to Travel....But I'm Broke
Anyone else feel me on this one?? I have all these wild dreams of standing at the peak of Machu Picchu screaming at the top of my lungs, (very much like Layton Meester did at the end of "Monte Carlo") or visiting Stratford Upon Avon to see if I can soak up some literary inspiration from Shakespeare's home, or horseback riding across the Scottish Highlands, or making snow angels in the Swedish Alps! But what 24 year old can afford to do that??...at least my day to day concerns are grown up issues: bills, gas, taking care of my pup and food.
But really, how am I supposed to enjoy my youth and travel while simultaneously being responsible for all the remedial monetary demands of standard living?
2. Post Grad is Lonely
I miss my college friends. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE my two friends from high school that I still get to see when we have the time to get together outside of our busy schedules...okay fine...their busy schedules.
I took for granted how social college allows you to be. I saw my best friends every day, even when we were up to our neck in school work, jobs and internships. Location really is everything. I still make time to see a few of my college friends but we don't see each other nearly as long or as often as I would like too, and a lot of that time is spent catching one another up on our lives.
I know that this is how the story goes, we've graduated. My college roomies and I have either moved, married, or are in pursuit of a masters degree. It sucks accepting that this is another phase of life. But I've found myself willingly wallowing in my solitude or wistfully reminiscing while flipping through my college photo albums on Facebook.
It was an immensely depressing moment when I discovered that my parents have a more poppin' social life than I do.
3. Post Grad is Boring..But I'm Okay With That...Sometimes
I'm not lying, more often than not I find myself sitting on the couch watching something on Netflix and hollering "make good choices!" to my parents as they walk out the door to one of their many weekly activities.
Contrary to the exciting life I let my Instagram followers believe that I lead, I'm a homebody. I'll sit here and complain about how boring I am but honestly, I'd rather stay at home in my pajamas and binge watch Netflix instead of having to put an effort into my appearance and go out to the bars to spend money I don't have, shout to be heard over the loud music, and be out of commission the next day.
In truth, the high point of the day is taking Chief, my boxer pup, out for a walk. If I'm feeling extra adventurous, we'll walk around the neighborhood instead of the park! Party.
For the nights that I really want to get out of the house, I'll go line dancing with my friends Nicole and Sam. Sometimes, we'll stay out past midnight!
I do occasionally branch out...I'm part of a city co-ed softball team...I've only gone to one game but hey, I'm on the permanent roster!
I also attempted to go to trivia night with Nicole once....it was fun, but we left feeling pretty defeated, and stupid. Our team tied for last place.
4. I Really Like to Shop
I know this struggle is directly causing struggle #1. But it's true. I really enjoy shopping. I've gotten a lot better at convincing myself that I don't need another pair of sandals, or another purse. But the "I do need another" side of me is pretty darn convincing at times too.
I've managed to not make as many impulsive purchases in the past few months...but winter is coming...which means I'll be cold, and I LOVE scarves and coats and boots. This also means that Holiday Season is swiftly approaching, which means that I'll have to buy presents for my family, and when I'm out shopping for them I tend to feel really generous and often come to the conclusion that I deserve to buy something for myself since I'm being so generous and selfless in buying for other people.
5. I Still Don't Know What I Want To Be When I Grow Up
In the past year, I've had five jobs. And now, I'm doing something completely different from what I was doing a year ago. Hopefully in another year, I'll be doing something completely different from what I'm doing now.
What I've realized since graduation is that I still have no idea what I want to do. At the end of my last post in May of 2013, I was crossing my fingers and hoping that I would land the perfect job. Here I am more than a year later and I don't even know what my perfect job is.
I know there are plenty of people sitting in the same boat as me. But what I've discovered is that being in this boat isn't necessarily a bad thing. You can still move forward in a boat. Even though I don't want to be working in a restaurant forever, this job is still serving a purpose. If you have a job and feel as if you'll never get to your "dream job," it looks like it's time for you to grab an oar and start rowing. You won't be in this boat forever as long as you're moving forward. My struggle with not knowing what I want to be when I grow up isn't that I fear I'll never figure it out, it's just my attitude at having to row this stupid boat so I can get to where I need to be, right now I've stopped rowing, I'm looking around at the view, but it's time to start moving again.
Shut Up Bry...These Aren't Real Struggles
If these are really my only significant complaints, I'd say I'm doing alright. I may not be able to answer the question "What am I going to do with my life?" I may never truly "Find Myself." So What if I'm bored sometimes, or am concerned about money.
Maybe this is what it means to be an adult.
It's unrealistic to hope that I'll have it "all figured out one day." How boring would that be?
I hope to always be motivated, eternally optimistic, and never complacent.
But really, how am I supposed to enjoy my youth and travel while simultaneously being responsible for all the remedial monetary demands of standard living?
2. Post Grad is Lonely
I miss my college friends. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE my two friends from high school that I still get to see when we have the time to get together outside of our busy schedules...okay fine...their busy schedules.
I took for granted how social college allows you to be. I saw my best friends every day, even when we were up to our neck in school work, jobs and internships. Location really is everything. I still make time to see a few of my college friends but we don't see each other nearly as long or as often as I would like too, and a lot of that time is spent catching one another up on our lives.
I know that this is how the story goes, we've graduated. My college roomies and I have either moved, married, or are in pursuit of a masters degree. It sucks accepting that this is another phase of life. But I've found myself willingly wallowing in my solitude or wistfully reminiscing while flipping through my college photo albums on Facebook.
It was an immensely depressing moment when I discovered that my parents have a more poppin' social life than I do.
3. Post Grad is Boring..But I'm Okay With That...Sometimes
I'm not lying, more often than not I find myself sitting on the couch watching something on Netflix and hollering "make good choices!" to my parents as they walk out the door to one of their many weekly activities.
Contrary to the exciting life I let my Instagram followers believe that I lead, I'm a homebody. I'll sit here and complain about how boring I am but honestly, I'd rather stay at home in my pajamas and binge watch Netflix instead of having to put an effort into my appearance and go out to the bars to spend money I don't have, shout to be heard over the loud music, and be out of commission the next day.
In truth, the high point of the day is taking Chief, my boxer pup, out for a walk. If I'm feeling extra adventurous, we'll walk around the neighborhood instead of the park! Party.
For the nights that I really want to get out of the house, I'll go line dancing with my friends Nicole and Sam. Sometimes, we'll stay out past midnight!
I do occasionally branch out...I'm part of a city co-ed softball team...I've only gone to one game but hey, I'm on the permanent roster!
I also attempted to go to trivia night with Nicole once....it was fun, but we left feeling pretty defeated, and stupid. Our team tied for last place.
4. I Really Like to Shop
I know this struggle is directly causing struggle #1. But it's true. I really enjoy shopping. I've gotten a lot better at convincing myself that I don't need another pair of sandals, or another purse. But the "I do need another" side of me is pretty darn convincing at times too.
I've managed to not make as many impulsive purchases in the past few months...but winter is coming...which means I'll be cold, and I LOVE scarves and coats and boots. This also means that Holiday Season is swiftly approaching, which means that I'll have to buy presents for my family, and when I'm out shopping for them I tend to feel really generous and often come to the conclusion that I deserve to buy something for myself since I'm being so generous and selfless in buying for other people.
5. I Still Don't Know What I Want To Be When I Grow Up
In the past year, I've had five jobs. And now, I'm doing something completely different from what I was doing a year ago. Hopefully in another year, I'll be doing something completely different from what I'm doing now.
What I've realized since graduation is that I still have no idea what I want to do. At the end of my last post in May of 2013, I was crossing my fingers and hoping that I would land the perfect job. Here I am more than a year later and I don't even know what my perfect job is.
I know there are plenty of people sitting in the same boat as me. But what I've discovered is that being in this boat isn't necessarily a bad thing. You can still move forward in a boat. Even though I don't want to be working in a restaurant forever, this job is still serving a purpose. If you have a job and feel as if you'll never get to your "dream job," it looks like it's time for you to grab an oar and start rowing. You won't be in this boat forever as long as you're moving forward. My struggle with not knowing what I want to be when I grow up isn't that I fear I'll never figure it out, it's just my attitude at having to row this stupid boat so I can get to where I need to be, right now I've stopped rowing, I'm looking around at the view, but it's time to start moving again.
Shut Up Bry...These Aren't Real Struggles
If these are really my only significant complaints, I'd say I'm doing alright. I may not be able to answer the question "What am I going to do with my life?" I may never truly "Find Myself." So What if I'm bored sometimes, or am concerned about money.
Maybe this is what it means to be an adult.
It's unrealistic to hope that I'll have it "all figured out one day." How boring would that be?
I hope to always be motivated, eternally optimistic, and never complacent.
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