#PREPOSTGRAD DIARIES: LIVING IN TWO TIMELINES

 Lately, the question I hear most is:

“So… what’s next?”

And honestly?

I don’t fully know yet.

I know some pieces. I know I graduate in August. I know I’m working as the Student Recruitment Assistant at CoMC while continuing to balance content creation, blog writing, spreadsheets, applications, and trying to build a future that feels aligned with who I am becoming. I know I’ll be moving back to Dallas with Jordan after graduation. And I know that somehow, all of that feels both incredibly exciting and slightly surreal.

Recently, I’ve realized I’m living in two timelines at once.

One version of me is still fully here: still walking around Lubbock, still working, still turning in homework, still trying to enjoy late sunsets, coffee runs, campus routines, and this strange little season that has been home for the past few years.

But another version of me is already quietly preparing to leave.

She’s updating resumes, tracking applications in spreadsheets, checking LinkedIn, networking, trying to secure interviews, thinking about apartments, careers, finances, and what life might look like after college.

And somehow, both versions exist at the same time.

That’s the weird part about senior year that nobody really prepares you for.

Life does not pause while you figure out your future.

People still need things from you. Work still exists. Bills still exist. Deadlines still exist.

But underneath all of it, there is this quiet awareness that life is changing, whether you want it to or not. And people keep asking what comes next. I know they mean well, it’s a normal question. But sometimes I wish I had a better answer.

The truth is: I’m still figuring it out.

I’m applying for traditional roles in Dallas and am genuinely excited to begin my career, while also thinking more about the kind of work and lifestyle that aligns with my long-term goals and values.

I love creativity. I love storytelling. I love travel. I love building things.

And someday, I hope to have a life that allows room for meaningful work, family, creativity, and flexibility too.

I don’t think those dreams make me unrealistic. I think they make me intentional. And maybe that’s what this season is really teaching me.

Not how to have every answer (because no one really does), but how to keep moving forward while still allowing myself room to grow into the answers. Maybe growing up is less about having a perfect plan and more about learning to trust yourself while you build one.

Because the truth is, I still have time. About twelve weeks, actually. Twelve weeks until I walk the stage. Twelve weeks until this chapter closes and another begins. And I don’t want to spend those weeks only thinking about what comes next.

I want to be here too.

Present enough to enjoy the friendships, routines, and little moments that make this season special. So lately, I’ve been trying to hold both timelines with gratitude. The one I’m still living, and the one I’m slowly building.

Maybe that’s enough for now.

Maybe that’s exactly where I’m supposed to be.

What do YOU think? Leave your comments, advice, and questions below!