From the title, I hope you can tell this is a journey post. It’s probably a post many people in their twenties can relate to. It’s probably a phase many people have gone through in their lifetime. I just wanted to make this post to say; you’re not alone.

I graduated in 2015 and I had plans. Plans to find a job that made 30k a year (for a starting career I believe is decent), move out of my mom’s house, and living the life I dreamed for my TWENTIES. A week before my graduation, I was able to line up two interviews (School doesn’t teach you about mastering interviews, you learn on your own) and I saw my future bright like a diamond.

After a few weeks, my graduation day had come and gone. The recruiters from the two interviews had my mind in limbo everyday as I sat at my part-time job watching little toddlers sleep and drool with spaghetti still on their face and diapers humming something wrong. I had the option to work full-time at my current position but I decided that anymore days of working with those kids would drive me bananas; besides I was still an intern, once a week.

Months went by and I decided to just work at my job and wait until after the summer to pick back up on the job search. Except for misery of working at a dead-end, no room to move up in management job and losing the skills I worked hard for, what was I rushing for? My bills were paid.

A couple of months went by again, and I had enough. I didn’t care about my bills or my savings account anymore. I just wanted to be free! I didn’t care about being BROKE. I ended up finding a summer job that was only for a month, in hopes to find another job within that timeline. I told my part-time job….(you don’t want to know) and I was out. I knew the seasonal job wouldn’t last so I started my job search heavily. In the bathroom (phones weren’t allowed), during lunch, in the morning as soon as I stretched in my bed, at the red light (I do not recommend this), wherever. I couldn’t find anything. Or maybe, nothing could find me.

So where I am now? Well it’s been a couple of weeks since the summer job ended and I’m sitting in my new car (used, but new) typing this post. How’d you do that, you say? I’m going to call this a transition phase. I believed in my abilities to find a starting career. I knew there was something out there for me. So I decided to take time out to focus on developing my mind, skills, and life. I took online courses, went to seminars and workshops, dealt with things I haven’t had time for, and even started taking up hobbies I haven’t done in a long time. I’m feeling HAPPY.

Some people think after graduating college, you need to find a job then and now. That’s not always going to happen. Or maybe it will, just not the job you want. Think about it like this. You went straight from high school to college. You worried about papers, projects, deadlines, credits, and grades for four years. When did you have time to think about yourself? When did you have time to learn about who you are or who you’re trying to become?  If you couldn’t think about when you had the time and you’ve already graduated and are without of a job right now, now is the time to explore those answers. It will give you more clarification on what kind of job you really want, your life/career goals, and you.You’ll find your great career, it just takes time and effort.Remember, you’re in your twenties, live. It’s a lifestyle.