Jess - UGA Graduate

DETAILS
When — October 2023
Where — UGA’s North Campus & Sanford Stadium
What — College Graduate

It’s Okay to Not Know

Many college students are on a linear path. They graduate high school, go to college, and then get a job. Those three simple check boxes have been laid out before them since 9th grade. However, life isn't linear. It's full of ups and downs, pivots, closed doors, new chapters and everything in between. If you take away nothing else after this sentence, please hear this, it's okay to not know your next step.

As a college student who graduated in the middle of the Pandemic (Shoutout #UGA2020) it was absolute chaos. Everything I believed was to come was well, not anything like I ever imagined. No where was hiring, we were locked down, and I had a humbling life lesson of learning to pivot. I’m not going to say I pivoted most gracefully, but I’ll say that I did pivot. I did coffee chats over Zoom with companies and professionals that had similar interest and values to me. I applied for part-time and full time roles, even a handful of paid Summer internships. I was rejected from 30+ jobs… it was hard. However, the biggest takeaway from that experience is that I learned how to allow myself the ability to be okay with not knowing what may be coming next.

So, to my college grads. Whether you have grad school lined up and are counting down the days to get started, or you have landed the perfect first job, or if you don't know and are just trying to make it through your last semester, please know it's okay to not know. Each and every one of you has accomplished undergrad, each of you has a purpose, each of you deserves to be celebrated boldly.

Congratulations on your accomplishments and best of wishes in the most non-linear but oh so very worth it world. Cannot wait to see what you do!