It’s Okay Not To Know What You Want To Do After College

As an English major, I’ve heard the question, “What do you want to do after college?” more times than I can count. I’m sure I’m not the only person who has had to answer vaguely to this question. For someone who is unsure of what they want to do after college, I usually respond by telling people that I plan to go to graduate school. It’s a foolproof answer – meaning that I never get any follow-up questions, making me feel like I’m in the clear. Yet, the question still lingers in the back of my mind, and as I work through my third year of college, I start to realize that sooner than later I will have to figure out the answer to that very question.

I want to start off by saying that any anxiety or worry you may feel as you try to make sense of what you want to do after college is completely valid and normal. Many college students share these feelings, which can be comforting to know that you are not alone. That being said, I think that it’s important to highlight that it is perfectly fine not to know what your plan after college is. Before we even step foot into college, we’re supposed to know what major we want to pursue and have a plan for what we want to do in life. I for one think that is a lot to ask eighteen-year-olds, especially since they haven’t truly experienced life to make big decisions like that. Nonetheless, we are asked that, but luckily we’re allowed to make changes along the way and take classes in different subjects to truly diversify our learning. This has helped me a tremendous amount and has even paved the way for me to embark on my journey of starting to think about the future.

In all honesty, I still don’t know what I want to do. I feel like I have so many interests that still haven’t been explored, and I fear that if I choose one specific pathway, I could potentially miss out on an opportunity that could be ideal for me. It’s a fear that I constantly talk about with my friends who are equally as lost as I am, and even after constant conversations we never reach an answer. I don’t really think there is an answer. Regardless, even in the midst of seemingly not having a sense of direction for the future, I do plan on using my strengths to help me on this path I find myself on.

I think that sometimes, we feel as if a career will reveal itself to us and we will have a moment where we feel like that is what we are destined to do. It definitely seems that way when I chat with friends who seemingly have their lives figured out, but that isn’t the case for everyone. I’ve contemplated about a dozen potential career paths and have never had a moment where I felt deeply connected to a pathway, and quite frankly, I don’t think I’ll ever experience that.

I don’t let any feelings of hopelessness consume me. I busy myself with things that I enjoy, such as writing for this very blog, creating social media posts, contributing to research projects, and much more just to exercise my interests and truly immerse myself in the work that I love. Maybe one of these things will help me figure out what I want to do. Maybe none of them will. Despite the lingering uncertainty, I feel good about where I am today and am at peace with not knowing what I want to do after I finish my degree. I wish the same for everyone else feeling similarly.