[Personal Reflection] What’s Next [Written By Chasity Pryor]

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I graduated from college three weeks ago. The feeling was nothing short of amazing. In fact, I’m still reeling. But the reality is starting to settle in rather quickly. College is a safety net for most people. It’s a way to get close to the real world without actually having to dive right in. So, we can take our classes and work our retail jobs without any problems. What about the “after”? After college is complete and you’ve been rewarded a degree, but you are still working that retail job and living at home with your parents? What happens next?

Since I am newly graduated, I have yet to hit that point in the transition where my family begins to pester me about finding a “real job”, but I do have my concerns. The biggest frustration has been trying to find a job. I spent a majority of my college years thinking that a degree would allow me to just walk right through the door of some major company and get settled into the “big girl” job. Sadly, that is not the case. So far, I’ve filled out over 20 applications and have heard nothing back from anyone. My resume is updated and I’ve been shipping it out non-stop, but nothing. So I find myself sulking because I feel like I should be doing so much more now that I have a degree. And that’s the problem.

I am a 25-year-old, newly graduated retail manager who lives at home with my parents and that’s okay. Why is it okay? Well because life is just like that sometimes. I placed so many expectations on myself that, when I finally got to this stage, I started to freak out. Life after college is scary and uncertain so it’s okay to feel that way. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Who made that rule anyway? Society has filled our heads up with this false idea of success. The thing is, success is internal.  Personal success is the best kind of success because you aren’t achieving it for the satisfaction of others, you are doing it for yourself.

I’m okay because I reached a personal success. I’m the first person in my immediate family to graduate college. I have a job and a steady income. I support myself and my parents. I’m working towards a car and moving into my own place. As long as I am working towards those things, I have nothing to worry about.

Don’t ever judge your life and your accomplishments according to what you see some else doing. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and different situations. Some people are more fortunate than others.

I sit here feeling extremely proud of all that I’ve done. I may not have the best job, a car, or my own place, but I’m working towards that and that’s what success is.

So, what’s next?

Whatever comes my way.

 

Good Luck and Best Wishes.

-C. Pryor