I recently have taken on a fourth job. Besides my positions as a full-time student, cocktail waitress and Tribune columnist, I am now a soon-to-be college grad spending endless hours in search for my first "real" job.
As the countdown to graduation dwindles down and I grasp my final moments of college partying, I'm also trying to turn this expensive degree into a satisfying career.
Reality hit me last weekend when the extended family gathered for Easter and the cliché, predictable questions of "Did you get a job yet?", "What are you doing after graduation?" and "So, when are you getting married?" were spewed at me from every direction.
Here are my answers to those three questions, in corresponding order. No. I don't know. And are you kidding me?
I'm just now beginning to realize what a pivotal time in my life this next month is going to be. I'm making decisions (or attempting to) that will affect the rest of my life. Let me clue you in on the two most complex questions that are nagging away at me.
1. Where should I live? The only answer I know so far is not at home. To go from a life of complete independence from parental control to once again living under their roof doesn't sound appealing. However, handing over a substantial chunk of my starting salary for rent doesn't sound fun either. But which is worse? All I know for now is I'm looking at moving to New York City, Chicago or Washington, D.C.
2. What kind of job do I want? I know what my dream job is, I just have to figure out how to get Cosmopolitan or a similar publication to hire me. I'm contemplating several starting points, but for now my approach is to apply nearly everywhere and see where fate takes me.
The one thing I do know is that I have to keep a confident attitude. I just combat insecurities by thinking, "Hey, these companies need me." You have to believe in yourself and just take a chance. What's the worst they can say? No? A magazine editor once told me it might take 40 no's before I get a long-awaited yes.
I'm doing the typical searching on job boards, like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and HotJobs.com. I'm also contacting places directly, using the networking I've established over the past four years, and talking to Marquette alums. Trust me — you'll need all the contacts you can find.
So, what have I learned from all this? That I shouldn't have complained about how much I was ready to just be done with school during the past few years. I'm actually going to miss this place. Now, my friends are planning to move all over the country and responsibilities are looming and waiting to attack, like money-guzzling student loan payments (sigh).
But then I just remember this is the beginning of my new fabulous post-college life as a young, successful, fashionable, single 20-something. Good luck seniors!
