We all know the feeling; the feeling you get when you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing. It can come when you start a new job, when you meet your significant other’s family for the first time, and, for many of you reading this, it can come when you are a student, and at graduation. I am no stranger to this feeling of “What now?” When you think,
“Okay, I have this piece of paper in my hand that says I laboured for (roughly) four years, just to end up on this stage, with tons of pictures being taken, and I’m shaking hands with people I’ve never actually met, or sometimes never even heard of. What now?”
For a lot of us, the “What now?” moment can come at any time. It can come as early as the day you start post-secondary, to the moment you step off the stage, and your carefree grin slides right off your face. You are filled with a sense of crippling dread, coupled with wanting to vomit a little. Honestly? You are not the only person wanting to pass out, vomit, or run screaming (preferably not all at the same time). Everyone experiences this feeling. We all experienced that dreaded feeling of what do to after you step off that stage, degree in hand, and take your seat among the graduated masses. Trust me when I say: almost everyone around you is freaking out.
For some of us, life after graduation comes easily. You have jobs lined up already, contacts made, and you’re feeling pretty good. For others, like myself, it didn’t come as easily. We sat back and waited for something happen – almost as if we expected something to come along by doing nothing; that people would discover our hidden talents without us having to raise so much as a finger. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. This could be a residual side-effect from our “What now?” moments.
I’m going to be blunt: you are not going to get your ideal job right away. Some people do, but that’s the key word: some. Not everyone will; in fact, you might struggle for a long time – but that’s normal. Don’t let it depress you, don’t let it take over, and for the love of your degree that you worked so hard to get, don’t let it stop you. I struggled too – with wondering if I would ever get a job, or if I had wasted four years of my life. Then one day I realized that, sometimes, you have to take matters into your own hands.
Do something that pertains to your degree every day, if you can. Draw, write, solve problems, build, nurture – it doesn’t matter as long as you are doing something. By doing this, you will inspire both yourself, and others around you. You will gain the confidence you need to take that “What now?” moment, and make it eat its own words.
Every graduate, every student, and every alumni will have a “What now?” moment. We can choose to either let it consume us, or we can choose to use the talents our degrees gave, or will give, us. You are not alone, and you never were. Good luck.