So...big day is almost here. You ready for the real world? What are your plans? If you're cringing at the very thought of these questions then there's only one possible explanation: You too are a college senior.
Lately I've been behaving in weird, mysterious and dumb ways. I've partied on the occasional weekday. I went running back to a guy that didn't deserve even the time it takes to bat an eyelash in his direction. I stopped working out because I thought eating less would make me happier.
When I graduated, I was pushed into a world full of options. At first, I took all of the options, put them in a sack that was my mind and tried them on one by one. But as time went on, I realized one thing: I needed to do something that struck my passionate heart strings. I knew I could deal with whatever my occupation tossed me from then on if I had a big crush on it.
If there’s one thing we all know (but often try to deny), it’s that college is basically it’s own little universe. It’s that beer-drinking, bar-hopping, Cliff Notes-reading, coffee-chugging “safe haven” between the comfort of your parents’ home and that place everybody calls “the real world.” And unfortunately, we all know that “real world” is much less exciting than MTV moguls would like us to believe.
If there’s one thing we all know (but often try to deny), it's that college is basically it’s own little universe. It's that beer-drinking, bar-hopping, Cliff Notes-reading, coffee-chugging "safe haven" between the comfort of your parents' home and that place everybody calls "the real world."
I have a strong belief that this column is about being extremely honest - even if my reputation as a stable human being is on the line. So, you wanna hear a depressing story? (Note: I think the following confession may have something to do with having to listen to Fergie squak for a ten-minute halftime show on Sunday.)
I graduated a decade nine months ago. In Hollywood years, that's about five. I could have popped out a set of twins with Charlie Sheen by now, or at least put myself on Teen Mom and physically abused my crack head baby daddy.
In recent conversations with new post-grads, I commonly hear the same defeated yet wishful comment: "I'm so ready for the new year." And you know what? I couldn't agree more.
The majority of my post-grad journey has been spent alone. Some days this bothers me, making me homesick or nostalgic for a bustling college campus. But most days, well … I love it.
Even though being a post-grad hasn’t been an easy ride (biggest understatement of the year), I have plenty of things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season. So in honor of the holiday and my new "the bowl of stuffing is half full" mentality, here is a list of post-grad things worth celebrating this time of year:
Okay, so after weeks of whining about personal statement essays and GRE practice tests, I think it’s time to take a step back, and evaluate. The fall semester is almost over and I’m still standing. And high moments and low moments aside, I think I’ve done a pretty good job of creating a balance between the fun and the functional.
Welcome home for Thanksgiving! Where the lines at the bar are ridiculous, the drinks can’t come fast enough, and while you think it’s deja vu you’ve got going on – you actually ARE having the same 3-minute conversation with blasts from your not-so-distant past over and over and over.
Everyone has a story. And while my post-grad journey has so far revolved around moving to California, interning, working odd jobs here and there, and studying for the LSAT to attend law school next year, I know that my story isn’t a typical after-college route.