The Terrifying Truth About Graduating (Again)

Ah, cap and gown, we meet again. Third time is the charm, right? ...Right? *cricket chirps*

...You hear all of these guarantees about going just a little further in school. "You'll land a job easier." "The whole 'five years or more experience' on job postings will be null and void once you have your master's." "You may as well go back to school, because no one is hiring now anyways. Don't worry about taking on more unpaid internships."

Here's the truth: There's no longer a secret-ish recipe for employment success. There's no set amount of degrees, internships, or quantities of ramen noodles consumed that will instantly land you the job that you envisioned when you walked across that stage to finally (finally) receive your diploma. You're going to get out into the real world and look (and look...and look...) for that just-right-opportunity, and you're going to have to put in your networking and door-knocking time, just like every other person.

Don't get me wrong - working towards my master's degree has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences for me. It went beyond the classroom, though. For starters, there were some courses that were more rewarding than others (which you'll find in any program at any university), but each class had its own unique opportunity for me to broaden my horizons. Whether it was re-learning how to work in a group setting (regardless of your level of expertise, you will always be stuck in groups where someone is not fully pulling their weight)how to network properly and maintain relationships with professionals (*tip* Four words: fancy clothes and beer), or how to pull yourself through a project that doesn't interest you in the slightest - I learned a lot of valuable lessons on how to proceed forward in the working world.

Aside from the various educational moments, a whole lot of "life" happened in the two and a half years that I was in the program. A moment of self-pride here: I learned how to pull myself through just about anything. I had an unbelievable amount of support from family and friends, but when it came down to it, my master's degree was the moment where I had to decide what level of success I demanded of myself.

So what is the terrifying truth of graduating again? The economy is still daunting, and most people don't want to give my resume even an initial glance. I'm an intelligent and hard working young woman, but I'm still young, the cardinal sin in the professional world. The piece of paper with "Master of Public Administration" written across the top and the honor cords around my neck will not determine anything for me. Only I can decide where everything will go from here.

Terrifying. Empowering, but terrifying.