making lists to feel accomplished

things to do after graduating:

• find a job apply to programs to delay finding a job
• programs that lead you to think you’re making a difference in the world in a year or two, like ending poverty and global warming
• study for and take the GRE
• if feeling particularly masochistic, study for the GMAT as well
• get recommendations
• figure out course of action for fulbright
• participate in NaNoWriMo
• think of clever ways to avoid finding a job yet appear productive and goal-fulfilling
• travel while making dough/making a difference: two hefty goals for a uofc graduate, but we’re trained to have high aspirations that amount to nothing and lead us straight back to academia

road to somewhere

it’s been exactly a week since graduating in the cold wet rain. currently in wisconsin at rosie’s at her graduation party–her dad teared up when trying to say how proud of rosie he is, which was very touching.

it’s been a week but i don’t feel like i’m a graduate. i suppose it has to take a while to sink in. but the bigger questions that everyone asks: what will you do next? are the ones that are really pressing. i can’t say i’ve enjoyed graduating. glad to be done but the uncertainty is hard to deal with. my life has been planned for the past 22 years. it’s strange to think that i can choose my own path now… and the prospect is rather frightening.

instead of my father tearing up about how proud he is (i mean, he is), he’s on my back about what i’m going to do next, asking why i haven’t figured it out by now. it’s a bit frustrating. i suppose i should have applied to some one or two-year program to delay the decision-making, but i didn’t think committing to a program that my future path is unrelated to was worth it.

it’s a strange time now, after graduating from uchicago. everyone has such high hopes. unsettling.