Hooray!!...Uhm, So What Now?

My friend Adam and I at Graduation

It is official! I'm now a college graduate! The proud holder of a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice! That's all great and all, but uhm... so... what now? The suspense, excitement, partying, and ceremony is over. The family all came and gave their gifts and hugs, my friends partied it up with me, and the finals and stress is all over. I should be on cloud nine, right? I should be elated and life could never be better, but that's not the case.

While you're in school, especially those freshman and sophomore years, there really isn't much to worry about. You're more preoccupied with sorority meetings, boys, maybe classes, and how you're going to afford your next pack of Ramon Noodles. Once junior year comes around though, you start actually thinking about what you want to do, where you might want to work. You're filled with all of this hope and excitement. Next, you blink and magically you're a senior in college with only two more semesters to really get your shit together. All of a sudden, you're only a few short weeks away from graduation and you realize that you have no perspective jobs lined up. How can that be though? You are the proud owner of a prestigious Bachelors Degree, you worked your ass off for four years, something that everyone should be impressed with!

Everyone at my graduation party kept asking me that annoying little question, it stung every time they asked it, like their words were little bees flying and stinging my ears. "So hows it feel to be graduated?" "What are your plans now?" It's pretty humiliating when you have to tell these people who were so proud of you that, you really have no idea what you're gonna do. Now, it's not that I haven't tried to get jobs lined up. I have, trust me. And to my dismay, I was rejected. Maybe rejected is too harsh a term, but not picked is what happened, take it how you want it. Regardless of whatever you want to call it, it's not a good feeling.

Honestly, I had these grand thoughts that I was going to have a job right as soon as I got out of college, that everything was going to be peachy-keen. No. Now that my rose colored glasses are gone, I'll be completely honest...I have no idea where to even start! If anyone wants to know what drowning feels like, well, I think I have a decent idea of what it feels like. Keep your fingers crossed for me that maybe the stars will align and I'll find my way to something perfect! For all those new grads who are stumbling and drowning right beside me...hang in there! At least you aren't drowning alone my friends!