The Post-Grad Journey: Packing to Unpack to Pack

It’s been raining nonstop since my graduation. Is the weather trying to tell me something? Maybe, but I’ve been too busy to notice. Although I have spent the last four years reading, writing, Facebook stalking, attending classes in my pajamas, and dancing on dirty frat house floors (all taxing activities in their own ways), I have to say – this past week has been incredibly busy and I’ve only been doing one thing: packing!

By Charlsie Niemiec

First, there was the great dorm room move-out adventure. After four years, I certainly compiled quite a handful of college collectibles such as princess tiaras, hot pink feather boas, and an unlimited number of Post-its in all shapes, sizes, and colors. This move-out consisted of me scrutinizing every little thing: “Am I really going to crack open this Literature Criticism and Theory book again?” and “Will this orange American Apparel dress look good outside of a strobe lighted dance floor?” Even though it was incredibly annoying and time-consuming to go through everything, I managed to clean up my entourage of trinkets and memorabilia (and I even managed to donate a lot to Goodwill!).

You know what happens after moving out though…You have to move in somewhere. So, I made the seven hour drive from Virginia to Georgia and moved into my mother’s new house. Did I mention she moved to a mountain in the middle of nowhere and lives off a dirt road now, instead of living just a short car ride away from metropolitan Atlanta? Oh yeah, but that’s a story for another day. Since my arrival, I have done nothing more than move my stuff in and, well, unpack those boxes I just spent hours taping up and carrying out.

This is all temporary though. The move-in here is just for one week before the grand adventure of driving across the United States commences (Google Trip Calculator is estimating 50 hours of driving time … OMG help?). Since I’m home, I have even more boxes of memories and junk from storage to go through. This packing-go-round is all about what to bring with me – at least for the next year – to California (or as I like to call it, Post-Grad Land). Turns out, I won’t be needing as much as I thought. Luckily, peacoats aren’t a main staple in the Southern California wardrobe, and I’m not going to be cracking open that literature criticism anthology after all.

And to think – I get to load up my car, move in, and then unpack again in the next few weeks! In all honesty, when I saw myself graduating, the scent of cardboard boxes and packaging tape did not come to mind, but I’m starting to feel like a professional at all this moving business. If all else fails, I can always start a moving business, right?

Although I am excited to have a more permanent existence in my life outside of college, all this ‘life in limbo’ is making me anxious, a little bit nervous, and well – tired. I’m ready to begin on my new adventure, and even though these boxes are going to be a part of the future, I still feel like the beginning of the journey has yet to truly start. But that’s going to change this weekend, when I actually get in the car and head out West.