Being a college graduate is one of the most difficult things to maneuver. The fact that I can do anything I want from here is equally as freeing as it is terrifying.

Everyone’s favorite question to ask after graduation is, “So what are you doing now?”, and I feel so guilty for always responding, “Nothing.” Why do I have to start something up again right away? I’ve been an active student for the last sixteen-plus years of my life, I owe it to myself to take some time off and do things that I want to do.

There is this unspoken timeline expectation set by societal standards, graduate high school and then go to college, get a college degree and begin a job in that field of study, when established in a career, buy a house, get married, have kids, but when are we supposed to just exist and live a life that we want to live.

Over the next year or so I intend to do exactly that. I have plans to travel, to see parts of the world that are going to get difficult to see once I decide to settle down and start a family. I am going to spend this time getting to know myself and experiencing life. Although it’s not the answer my parents or grandparents want to hear, it’s been the first idea of mine that has excited me in a long time, and for that, I deserve to peruse it.