Why It's Okay to Have No Clue What You're Doing With Your Life (Twenty-Something Edition)

As most twenty-somethings that have just graduated from college I have felt like I am floundering as I step out into this crazy world we like to call "adulthood." Now I know that I am actually doing quite well for myself - I have a full time job (okay I have a full time and like 4 part time jobs), my own apartment, a puppy (okay okay... dog. He's 7), a retirement account and no debt. Now. That does in no way mean that I feel like I have a solid handle on my life. But that's okay.

I graduated in 2012 with a 3.96 GPA with a degree in Mass Communication and a minor in English: Professional Writing and Presentation Media.

**NOTE I am writing this without my handy AP Style guide so I cannot guarantee proper AP style throughout this post... or really any post, because hey! This isn't a news story, right?**

Throughout my time in college I had 7 internships. Yes, I know. Overkill. After college I applied for 76 jobs and I heard back from 3. One of the jobs was exactly what I wanted (radio news anchor in a top 25 market!!!) but was for very low pay and could only give me a few hours a week and one job was just ok (Marketing Associate at a Google Affiliate). Marketing had never been my calling, but I had taken marketing classes so why not?

Now this leads me to point one: Don't be afraid to try anything and everything! Don't be too picky - you never know where it may lead. I took the Google Affiliate job and I actually wound up doing in-house video editing! Another example is I always wanted to be a country radio DJ, but couldn't quite get my foot in, despite multiple internships. By taking the radio news anchor job (Saturdays 5am - 11am) it gave me the opportunity to keep in touch with the country station in the same building under the same ownership. I now am an overnight (Yes, Saturday night to Sunday. No, I don't sleep ever) DJ! I know it's not ideal, but hey? I'm young right?

Point number two: It's not always your fault. Now I am a strong advocate for taking responsibility for your actions and making things happen. I know my generation typically gets labeled as the "Not My Fault" generation, but some things really aren't your fault! I have started separating my life into two categories: Things I can't control and Things I can control. I can't tell you how much this has helped. There is nothing I could have done to keep from being let go from the Google Affiliate job. I was hard-working, responsible and ambitious and in the end it wasn't a good fit. And that's okay.

Point three: Roll with the punches. I am so not a getting-fired kind of girl. I was managing an amusement park with 50 employees under me by the age of 19. I don't get in trouble. It's just not me. I am always the responsible one who hits deadlines. Thus, when I got let go - notice I still struggle to say "fired"- I was about as down and out as you can be. Luckily I have an awesome support group surrounding me. Through the love of my family, friends and boyfriend I was able to get out of bed (okay sometimes I was actually dragged out of bed) and kept applying for jobs like a crazy woman. This kind of back fired a little because I now am a Taekwondo instructor, a choir director for adults with disabilities, manage social media for my parent's store, am a radio news anchor AND I organize international soccer tournaments full time. As a direct result of leaving the Google Affiliate I now have a job working with the sport that I have loved since I was a toddler and I get to see the world!!
You could say that I'm a busy girl. And a lucky girl.

I work as hard as I know how because right now in life, I have no clue. I have a schedule of things that I try to make work, but juggling so many jobs to make ends meet is no picnic, but I do it. I'm also saving money for things like: skydiving, a trip to Ireland, a trip to London, and a Michael Kors Watch. I don't know what my long term goals are really, other than to be happy.  I would like to get married someday, but first I think I want to figure "me" out first. That's not to say that getting married in your early 20s isn't right for someone else.

Anyway, right now I know that I love my life and where I am. And that is the key to happiness. Having goals and dreams is so, so important, but I think it is equally important to realize that sometimes life has other plans for you - whether that be having to move back home because you can't find a job, or having to move across the country for an unexpected job offer, my advice is to roll with it. You are young. It is okay to get mixed up sometimes. That does not mean that you aren't moving forward with your life, it just means that you are growing in a different direction than you originally thought you would be growing. Learn from it and don't be afraid to back-pedal if needed. It is never too late to go back to school, visit Paris, or get back in touch with old friends.

When you start to get flustered about trying to figure out the future - sit back, breathe and remember, you are not alone. Life has a way of working itself out.

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.” - John Lennon

Malena