2018: Thank you, next. A Year Post Grad.
2018 was a year of change – a lot of it. I started the year with a college diploma and uncertainty of how I was going to use it. My original plan was to graduate in December (2017) in hopes of moving to New York before baseball season. I had a distinct feeling in November 2017 that moving and starting work was NOT what I was suppose to do.
At this point, I knew I would be spending January 2018 in Kenya, Africa and London, England (yes, two
totally different experiences). As you know during those next few months after searching, prayer, self-reflection and a dang good offer from NC State I found that purpose. BUT let me say NONE of the first year post grad has been easy. There has been change, lack of community, and a sudden loss of “purpose.” In all seriousness I thought once you had a college degree that’s when all the fun happened.
I graduated a semester earlier (December 2017) than most of my classmates. The special part is that I got to walk across the stage with many of them in May 2018. Here is a photo of me and some of my girl gang at my 22nd birthday brunch in April.
In this moment we were all in the same vicinity – now I want to brag about these girls for a minute: Allie lives in Los Angeles, CA and works for an entertainment company. Grace lives in Dallas, TX and works for a nonprofit based in Uganda. Isabel is teaching English in Spain for a year. Tara is in law school at Villanova. Meagan is finishing at Elon. Maddie is in graduate school at UT-Knoxville. Nadia teaches in New York City. Leah is working in Denver, CO. Lizzie is also finishing at Elon. At one time these were the people I sat in class with, lived with and were a few minutes walk away. No one or nothing prepares you for your life after you walk across the graduation stage. My friends are flourishing (these and many others) but not one of them has told me post-grad life is easy.
So…if you have graduated and still don’t have a job, you’re living at home with your parents, you have no clue where you want to be, you’re missing community or any other emotions YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I promise however, that it will all work out and there is a plan greater than we can fathom. At least that is what I have been told – and for now that’s what I believe.
Onward to a better 2019!
-Ellie
