Throughout college I have heard a recurring idea. The phrase must come from the circumstances of college life. My life in the past four years has basically been school followed by work, followed by a few meetings, followed by more work, followed by hanging out with friends leading to some late nights, followed by an early morning. Repeat. College brings with it many opportunities, but also many responsibilities. Work becomes necessary and school work becomes a looming presence: always threatening your happiness with a pending midterm or final.
The thought that seems to be at the top of everyone’s mind is that once college is done, there is no more schoolwork, or any work after your 9 to 5 is done. Apparently, after you get off work, you get to do whatever you want until the next workday. It shocked me how many people thought this when about a week ago, I heard three separate people recant this common idea to me on the same day. First, a coworker commented that he enjoyed working and being a graduate because once work was done he didn’t have to worry about anything. Next, on the way to school I overheard someone saying the same thing to her friend. Then, on my way back home, a friend of mine told me the same thing when commenting on my recent graduation.
Honestly, I’m busier now then I’ve ever been, and looking back, I’ve always been quite busy. But it has always been in the back of my mind that when I graduate “things will slowdown.”
It occured to me on that fateful day that no, my life will never be as so many people have said. I thoroughly enjoy being a part of something challenging. I enjoy putting my all in something even if it means that I can only enjoy reruns of South Park with a laptop parked on my lap. I constantly fill my life with to do’s, whether it is something for school, work, volunteer projects, or spending time with friends or going to a party.
When I am part of the working world, I don’t think I will be satisfied just doing a 9 to 5. I am not in that point in my life right now. I have my passions, which include exercising, coffee shops, really hoppy beer and meeting new people, but I also like to be passionate about what I’m doing. First, I don’t think many people have a 9 to 5 anymore. And I would never want to be in a job that I did not enjoy putting in more work. Sure it is tiring to put in additional hours, but at the end of the day a job should be worth it, for any number of reasons.
Now, instead of looking for a transition from a hectic and busy life into a calm and serene one, I will be keeping my eyes out for a transition into a different kind of life. A life that instead of successful student projects and extracurriculars will be filled with professional success that make a diffference in people’s lives. There are many ways to make a difference and I want to take these never ending to do’s into the professional world.
