Graduation, whether from high school or college, is a wonderful milestone. You have accomplished the credentials needed to receive your degree and walked across the stage before family, friends, and classmates to get the diploma. Graduating is an end to one chapter and the beginning of another. It is a time of transition and change. I don’t know about you, but, although change is necessary to grow, change scares me. I like being comfortable and knowing what happens next. When you are in school, you know there will be a summer break and you will start again next year. You have a syllabus for every class and a schedule for all activities. Once you graduate, that is done. It is up to you to make a plan for your life. Making a plan with clear objectives and goals, both short-term and long-term, that need to be reached is a must! How can you begin the next chapter without a clear plan? You can’t. You will be stuck in the transition phase forever. Whether your goal is to get your career started, go to college, or get your masters degree, you must set objectives to reach this goal. Make lists, RESEARCH, NETWORK, work on your weaknesses, enhance your strengths. This is not a limited list. Do what it takes to succeed in what you want to do. If you want to do something in writing, start blogging, taking writing courses, etc. in order to enhance your writing skills. If you just graduated high school and want to go to college, research the different majors available so you can have an idea of what appeals to you and what you find interesting. 

Although it is always good to have a plan, realize that plans don’t always workout. We often need to have many backup plans or other options to choose from so we don’t get discouraged when one thing doesn’t work out. Life happens, things happen. We have to prepare for the unexpected. Finding a career in a bad economy is tough so you often have to have many different plans because the first one might not work out. I expected to have a job as soon as I graduated college. I did all the necessary things to prepare for this. I had internships, I graduated at the top of my class, I sent out resumes, I networked, but I am still unemployed. My first plan did not work out. Instead of getting discouraged, I went on to my second plan. I have crossed the stage and received my diploma, and I still did not have a job. My plan to have a job when I graduated did not work out. I then remembered some advice I got from one of my internship bosses at KPRC. He told me to not get discouraged if I do not have a job right away. This is the last time I will have a break because once you start working, summer breaks are over, spring breaks are over, and winter breaks are over. He told me to not stress out about it and to relax and enjoy my break. This is my second plan and is working out very well. Don’t get me wrong, I am still applying for jobs and sending my resumes out, but I am not stressing out about it. I recommend this for everyone. If you are having trouble landing a job and don’t have to work right away, don’t stress out about it. Your time will come. Relax. Enjoy your break. I know I am. 

No matter what your plans are, have a back up plan, don’t stress out, and enjoy your life. We are free from the stresses of school and midterms and term projects and term papers. We are in transition to begin the next stage of our lives that will bring about stresses of its own. Relax. Everything will work out in the end.