This Time Last Year

Wow, so it's going to be April already! I guess I was confused by the snow that's still blowing around outside of my window. April means that in about a month, I will have been graduated for an entire year. If there was one piece of advice I could give myself for this time last year, it would be very simple: don't be afraid to make a plan.

I spent the last month of college counting down the days until I no longer had a plan, or heath insurance for that matter, instead of focusing on creating a new one. I looked for employment before graduation, but stuck mainly to online listings and was very picky where I applied. I had a vague idea of what I where I wanted to live after graduation, but was too scared to commit.

Making a plan after graduation is terrifying for many reasons, but for me, it was mostly because I was so afraid on missing out. I was afraid of choosing the wrong city, falling into the wrong job, and ultimately not being happy. It took me literally until my graduation day to realize that making a plan in pursuing it can also be very exciting. When I finally decided to move my life to Rochester, NY, I ended up feeling more relieved than I had in months.

Here's the thing about plans.. you can change them. I remember talking to a friend once who was deciding whether or not to move across country with her boyfriend. I told her that if she didn't like it, she could always come home, but she'd probably regret it if she didn't take the chance. This seemed like such a revelation for both of us. I realized, after months of agonizing, that if I didn't like my post grad life plan in a few months, I could change it.

So, to any senior college readers we have out there, try to stop being afraid this month. Start planning and start being excited about the next steps in your life. Oh, and remember to finish those last few assignments before senior week- you've still got to graduate!