Postgraduate Thoughts

This past Friday, May 8th, I graduated from The Lincoln University with a degree in Spanish and French. I proudly graduated Magna Cum Laude and I couldn't be happier with my success. This accomplishment is something I've worked for for such a long time and it still doesn't even feel real. I kind of don't know what to do with my self. These past few days have been a combination of figuring out what my next moves are and beginning this process of "re-branding" myself. The world that I am catering to is no longer my undergraduate peers and the faculty and staff of the university. The world I am dealing with is much bigger than that. From my little world at home with my family and community, to the big world that I must go out and face, I have to reevaluate myself and set goals for the next few years in my life.

I've always been upwardly mobile. I am always looking for a way to develop and make myself better. Being out of college is going to challenge that idea of being able to constant looking forward with ease because there are no longer class titles to look forward to or a certain amount of credits to count to signify credibility, you just keep going. That is why setting goals is so important. Who knows what life is going to be like in two years. Who knows what it will be like in four, five or even ten years! All I know is more than anything, I hope to continue working toward the goals that I have and refrain from letting the "post-grad life" get to me.

The typical post-grad life that I am trying to avoid is the one where the graduate is making minimum wage, chillin at home. I may very well make minimum wage, and I am not knocking anyone who lives with their parents, I simply refuse to live that life and that is all I have to show and define for myself. I may not be exactly where I want in the next few years but I want to continue to progress in my personal life. The plan is to challenge myself to use my free time for my hobbies, like writing and reading, and using my "in-between" time to enjoy my youth. All I am saying is, I don't want to spend my days at home or at work being sad about my future, I want to keep moving forward. If there is anything Lincoln taught me, it is to keep moving forward, even if you are drowning in your misery, keep going!

Here are some of my future goals:

1. WRITE. WRITE. WRITE. I plan to have at least one book published / in the process of being published by June 2017. I don't know if it will be a work of poetry or if it will be a novel but I have so many ideas in store that I don't really know which to run with first. I started writing a novel that I think would be a great idea to run with so maybe that's where I will start!

2. Get back in the gym! This past semester put my physical (and probably mental too) state to the back burner so my hope is with the summer, I get back in the gym and back to working out. The weather change has also made that ten times easier!

3. READ! Man, it's been so long since I've read a book 100% for leisure. Reading has always been second nature to me and when I tell you that studying literature in THREE different languages will make reading in your personal life seem like a chore, believe me. But I never stopped loving it and I cannot wait to start on this lengthy reading list that I have.

4. Start getting involved in the Tri-state area / Philly poetry scene. I had a lot of experience on campus with poetry and spoken word and I am so excited to go out and explore the poetry scene in the surrounding area. I really want to see where I can squeeze myself in but also, how I can learn from the vets so I can become one myself.

and lastly...
5. TRAVEL! I've traveled all over Europe, I have been to Georgia and Missouri in the past months, I am always taking adventures in the tri-state somewhere and there is even more to come! I will be heading to Atlanta in a few days via a bus (which I am really excited about!) and then I will be heading to California for a few weeks for my first few courses in graduate school! Not to mention I just got back from a cruise to the Bahamas! When I get back to the East Coast I know my boyfriend and I are looking to go visit my friends and family in DC, New York and maybe we will be planning a Fall weekend somewhere like Denver or California. There's been talk of a road trip too! Who knows! I am just excited to get back to what I love.



And one more thing! This isn't a goal, just one last post-grad thought for this entry: I freaking miss my friends.