What a loaded question… Sit back, take a deep breath, and realize that I am only 25 years old for goodness sake!
Finishing school has got to be one of the best things that I have ever done in my life, but it also has been one of the hardest things that I have ever done as well. The feeling can be, in a sense, anti-climatic once you finally graduate. The excitement builds and builds the closer you get, but once you’re there, the sense of achievement and hard work is quickly surpassed by the huge amount of responsibilities and challenges you are about to embark on. Not to mention the good ol’ question of, “What do you want to do with the rest of your life,” is becoming a more popular topic amongst your loved ones. Most of the time it is not as direct, you will find that this inquiry can be approached in many different ways.
So what do you plan to do now?
Have you found a job?
What are your options?
However, all of them have the same underlying curiosity. These questions are not asked out of spite, they are all derived from good intention, but the pressures can sometimes be overwhelming. This is when I have to remind myself that I am just starting out on my long journey. I have a lot of twists and turns to travel on. I could certainly be wrong, but I feel like how are you going to know what job is the best fit if you haven’t sampled a fair amount of options? I relate it to dating… How are you able to choose the perfect person if you haven’t experienced a number of different personalities? He or she may be extremely cute and seem to be the perfect guy or gal, but conversation could be lacking or the fun-o-meter could be way off.
Also, you might have a good idea of the type of things you want to incorporate into your prospect job, but may not know exactly how these passions filter into a specific position. This is an extremely important factor for me, and can be immensely confusing and frustrating. How are you going to be productive and successful if you are not happy in the process?
However the cookie crumbles… How old, young, experienced, non-experienced, or knowledgeable on a particular topic you may or may not be, just know that success is a journey not a destination. So if you happen to be feeling the pressures of the all-powerful question, “What do you want to do with the rest of your life?” Sit back, take a deep breath, and realize that with some passion, dedication, and a little time, this can be the beginning of many good things to come!
Ps: If you are beginning or have decided to take another turn on your journey, try the YSN self-assessment test. It can be extremely useful tool to help you focus your talents and aspirations into a number of relating industries.)
