pre-post-grad diaries

 A few weeks ago, I wrote that the question I hear most is: "So...what's next?" And for the past few months,  I didn't have an answer. I had possibilities. I had applications. I had spreadsheets. I had interviews. I had.... a lot of coffee. But I still didn't have an answer. Now, I am happy to tell you all.... I FINALLY DO! This week, I officially accepted a  full-time position with Texas Tech University at DFW ,  and somehow, everything feels a little more real . For months, job searching has been a part-time job in itself.  Between applications, cover letters, networking, updating my resume,  preparing for interviews, and checking my email more times than  I'd like to admit, finding a job after graduation felt both exciting and overwhelming . Everyone tells you that your senior year goes by quickly. They're more right than I could have imagined. What they don't tell you is how strange it feels to actively prepare for a  chapter you haven't sta...

If there is one thing this summer keeps teaching me, it's the importance of balance and flexibility. Not the easy kind of balance, like standing on one leg. And not the fun kind of flexibility, like touching your toes after yoga class. The real kind . The kind where plans change. Systems break. Things take longer than expected. People don't answer emails. Financial aid gets confusing. Job applications sit unanswered. And suddenly the timeline you had neatly organized in your head starts looking a little different. As someone who loves a good spreadsheet, calendar, checklist, and plan, this has been challenging. I like knowing what's next. I like having a roadmap. I like feeling prepared. But lately, I've been realizing that some of the biggest transitions in life don't come with a perfectly organized itinerary. This summer, I'm balancing work, content creation, job applications, blog writing, and summer classes while preparing for graduation in August. Some days...

Let's talk about how it feels to be building your next chapter while a lot of things are uncertain. Lately, I’ve realized job searching is one of the strangest experiences! Not because I’m unwilling to work, and not because I’m unmotivated. But because it feels like trying to plan a future you haven’t met yet.  Right now, my life looks like a mix of tabs and timelines. Spreadsheets tracking applications. LinkedIn notifications. Resume edits. Cover letters. Asking for references. Lots of coffee. Job boards. Looking for advice online. Writing out my thoughts. Second guessing. Updating profiles. And somewhere between all of that, I’m still living regular life too. I’m still working as the Student Recruitment Assistant at CoMC. Still balancing blog writing, content creation, summer responsibilities, coursework, and trying to enjoy my final months of college before graduation in August. That’s the strangest part! The future starts asking for your attention before you’re fully ready to ...