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The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

欧美日b大片

The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

欧美日b大片

The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

欧美日b大片

Opinion | Please don鈥檛 ask what I鈥檓 doing after graduation

TPN File Photo
Pitt graduates after their 2021 graduation at Heinz Field.

I understand the curiosity in wanting to know what my plans are after graduation, what job I鈥檒l have or what city I鈥檒l end up in, and trust me 鈥 I would love to know too. If your family is anything like my family, you understand what I鈥檓 referring to. Sure, they just want to know what your plans are for the future, but it鈥檚 exhausting hearing the same questions continuously since junior year.聽

The idea of having a perfect plan post-graduation is outdated. Depending on your career path, they may want you ready to start the job within 2-3 weeks, which is a tad hard to do in February or March when you’re finishing up your final semester鈥檚 worth of classes. I understand wanting to start job applications early, but sometimes you’re just not able to.聽

The question of 鈥楽o what are your plans for after graduation?鈥 usually comes from an innocent place, especially from friends, family, coworkers, loved ones, etc. But it also comes with unintended pressure.聽

In all honesty, I鈥檓 not entirely certain what鈥檚 next. Right now all I can tell you is that I鈥檓 planning on applying for jobs in careers I鈥檓 interested in and seeing where it goes. Of course, this semi-terrifies me. In today鈥檚 world that glorifies hustle and five-year plans, it鈥檚 anxiety-inducing to not have a plan fully figured out and multiple versions of a plan based on what-ifs.聽

Naturally, I have goals and plans for my future, things I hope I can accomplish 鈥 everyone does. What鈥檚 entangled with graduation is the idea that we need to have all of this figured out. We should know how we鈥檙e going to accomplish our dreams or land our dream job. The fact of the matter is simple 鈥 that鈥檚 not attainable or realistic.聽

I know I鈥檓 not the only one feeling this way with dreams and ambitions for their futures. What鈥檚 hard to realize and sit with is that these ambitions become tangled in webs of anxiety, financial realities and the ongoing process of figuring out what we truly want. When staring down an uncertain path that鈥檚 not fully figured out yet, being asked about it 鈥 over and over 鈥 can feel like a stab at your anxieties and uncertainty. Each inquiry starts reflecting your doubts, and each polite smile, awkward pause or forced answer becomes a reminder that you鈥檙e supposed to have answers that you simply don鈥檛 鈥 at least not yet.

Society has trained us to believe that there is a right way to graduate 鈥 either having a job lined up and ready to go or continuing your education. But there鈥檚 no one universal or right way to transition out of undergrad. Sure, there are traditional paths of doing so, but there isn鈥檛 a right or a wrong way. If you want to wait and apply for jobs after traveling this summer or even taking a gap year to figure out what you want next, there鈥檚 nothing wrong with that. Society wants us to be ready to go right after undergrad, ready to start our adult lives and have them figured out. Even when I get a job after graduation at some point, I鈥檓 not going to have my life figured out 鈥 not at all, in all honesty.聽

We are still in our early 20s 鈥 there shouldn鈥檛 be a rush to have everything figured out, get our perfect job or even know if this career path is the one we want to pursue. Everyone is unique, and their life path should also be unique 鈥 it鈥檚 tiring to believe that we all should follow the same steps after undergrad. However, the pressure to conform in order to have the perfect answer to 鈥榃hat鈥檚 next?鈥 is as tempting as blaming your procrastination on senioritis. The idea that we need to have an ideal or impressive answer can make us feel like we鈥檙e falling behind even before we鈥檝e started.聽聽

It鈥檚 time to rethink how we approach conversations with soon-to-be graduates. Focusing on the present and creating space for meaningful dialogue without the pressure of a neatly packaged plan reflects how most graduates feel and acknowledges there is no perfect path after graduation. They recognize that our worth isn鈥檛 tied to our productivity or achievements but to who we are and what we care about.

For those of us on the receiving end, it鈥檚 okay to set boundaries or redirect the conversation. It鈥檚 okay to say, 鈥淚鈥檓 still figuring that out,鈥 or 鈥淚鈥檓 exploring a few options right now.鈥 Uncertainty isn鈥檛 a weakness 鈥 it鈥檚 a natural part of growth. Recognizing that we don鈥檛 have a set-in-stone plan and are still in the process of figuring out what we want next should be a natural response to inquiries about our post-graduation plans.聽

To friends, family and anyone tempted to ask a soon-to-be graduate what they鈥檙e doing next, know that it鈥檚 okay to wonder and ask questions 鈥 that鈥檚 natural. But also work to understand our society and how these expectations make us feel. Let us celebrate graduating college and achieving this milestone instead of rushing into the next phase of our lives 鈥 a phase that no one figures out on their first go.

Emily O鈥橬eil writes primarily about societal issues, politics and campus life. Write to her at [email protected].

About the Contributor
Emily O'Neil, Senior Staff Columnist
Emily O鈥橬eil is a Political Science and Public Service major and earning a certificate in Public and Professional Writing. She is from Lancaster, PA and writes primarily about political and societal issues. Write to her at聽