Yes again, another blog regarding “the future.” It has become sort of an obsession.  It is increasingly hard to not contemplate the future when the basis of almost every senior conversation seems to include: “What are you doing after college?” Oh yes. That dagger of a question.  Frankly, it is a question on every senior’s mind (with the exception of those lucky few who just “know” their path). It is both scary and exciting.  

It is also a question that produces constant inner turmoil and over analyzation.  It is beyond frustrating to spend hours pouring yourself into an application, send it in, wait for months, and then to receive a generic e-mail lumping you in with everyone else as to why you were rejected.  How can they reject you when you feel you would have been a perfect fit? How can they really know? It is difficult to feel like you have given your best in an interview when everything seems so mechanical and staged.  If they really knew you, they would see your personality, your passion, and truly understand your reason for being there. I have both experienced these obstacles and seen my friends experience them. After a while, you hit a breaking point. Or several. 

Last week, I hit another breaking point of frustration and uncertainty about the future (shocking).  However, I also received some of the best advice I have ever heard.  When I first approached my friend about the situation, her words made me want to like design a class of 2009 Wittenberg t-shirt:

“The future will always be there, but Wittenberg won’t.” I mean yes, Wittenberg will always be here- but for us seniors, it won’t be. At least not the in the same way as it has been for the past 4 years.  And it’s true. It’s the reason I chose to attend the Columbus Bluejackets game the night before I took the GRE as opposed to slaving away to study.  It is the reason why I have been easily persuaded to go out even when I probably shouldn’t. Sure academically speaking my grades have probably hit a small downward slope, but the memories and fun- the things that outlast any test score are what matter.  These last few weeks should be about soaking up the Wittenberg ora- not freaking out about what will happen after graduation- that will happen inevitably.

The other bit of advice came from my dad, who basically told me to stop analyzing (again, shocking).  He told me that when he was in my position, he watched the movie the Graduate which freaked him out so much that he wrote a letter to his parents telling them that he didn’t know what he was meant to do with his life.  All of that stress proved to be a waste of time because he ended up taking the LSAT by default and found the path that he was meant to take. The bottom line is, those who love you unconditionally will support you until you do find the right path.  And sometimes that path is not reached by plan or by skill but merely by fate.

I know this probably seems like a bunch of crazy talk, but to me its starting to make sense.

So, I think I’m good until the next case of freaking out about the “F” word.

peace, love, and happy senioritis.