graduation around the corner...what would you do?
By lacurandera
@lacurandera (335)
United States
April 24, 2007 9:40pm CST
I graduate in 2 weeks, and to be honest, I'm not sure if I want to. i've been in college for five years now (b/c I changed my major and have 3 minors--not b/c I was out getting drunk every night and almost failed) and i'm so used to being in school, used to having deadlines and projects. I want to go to grad school and plan to apply in the next year or 2.
i'm not sure what to do for now. I have applied to a literary journal looking for an associate editor and am crossing my fingers. I have the opportunity to apply to a local newspaper as a proofreader, but I fear that it will interfere with my business ventures. To give you an idea, I make about $25 dollars an hour doing landscaping, so I am wary to forfeit 4 hours of daylight every day to make $7 an hour at a local paper.
It's weird and beyond dorky that i am depressed about graduating. i'm not proud of my accomplishments, and I actually feel bad that I am not going out to get a job relative to my field. I guess i'm a little afraid that i'll do nothing but work 80 hours a week and the intellectual side of me will be neglected.
I read voraciously and I'm sure i still will after I'm out of school. I study plants on my own. I plan to fix a c-melody saxophone I bought 2 years ago and haven't fixed yet so I could possibly play with my boyfriend. I want to pick up my bass again so that I can play with my boyfriend. i've neglected music since I began college and regret it. I just wonder if I'll be happy out of school, if I'll regret not working for someone else for pennies in my chosen field...What would you do in my situation? Any suggestions for keeping myself busy and intellectually stimulated? I've also been thinking about studying some languages. I'm bummed out, and it's weird. I thought I would be happy about the culmination of my schooling and having a degree.
Please don't give me any responses about "growing up" or how scary it is to enter the "real world." I've been in the "real world" since I graduated high school. I don't live at home, my parents don't give me any money, I've always had a full time job (sometimes more than 1) and I'm a partner in a growing, successful business.
3 people like this
4 responses
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
25 Apr 07
I believe in do what you love. You will be happier that way. If you want to continue to learn you don't have to go to college. Most of what I know is a bi product of my own pursuit of intellect.
However I wouldn't give up $25 an hour to starve and would probably seek a part time position in my desired field then wait for something that will be comparable with the income I am used to receiving.
1 person likes this
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
10 May 07
There is a difference in a company that puts plants into the ground, tosses mulch onto plants and does McDonald's landscaping.
I can get $600 for a flower bed design. Not to mention what I would get for installing it.
Expensive landscaping isn't what you normally see. Most landscaping companies suck because they hire people off of the street. I have to retrain the experienced landscapers.
Lets face it, a $5 million dollar home has $20,000 flower beds.
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
25 Apr 07
I won't give you any "real world" cliches, but what I will say is that we grow familliar and comfortable with what we know best. You are comfortable with school, and leaving school will be a change. Everything new is a change. You sound like you're going to do just fine in whatever you choose to do. I personally love such changes, because it gives me the opportunity to move onto something new.
@thefuture (1749)
• Nigeria
10 May 07
I understand how you feel about this friend, but I think you should try to stop living a life of regret, cos it will stop you from making good plans for the future. I will advice you to try and concentrate on one time at a time, cos if you don't concentrate on one thing and you keep thinking of how to change one field or the other, it will strongly affect your life. Don't get yourself scattered, try to put yourself in position. Am sorry friend that is the advice I can give, cos I have never been to higher institution. Am still strugling for finance that will enable me furter my education. Thanks and have a nice day.
