You know the feeling you got as a child when you were at the supermarket and could not find your mom? You felt lost. Well, that’s how I felt when I graduated back in 2016 with a degree in Theatre. Believe it when they say, “life after college is not as easy as you think” because they are absolutely right.
For some individuals, it may seem easy because they have jobs lined up or they get lucky obtaining a job right away. Unfortunately, with my lack of support and experience, I struggled in my job search. I went back home to live with my parents, started working at a bank, and forgot what came to college for in the first place. I felt stuck and afraid. I didn’t want to become depressed. I was already showing signs: by losing weight and staying at home all the time. Then, I found out that universities allow you to get multiple bachelor degrees even after you graduate.
I returned to complete the second degree in Communication Studies instead of committing to something more serious like graduate school.
Here are the reasons why:
It would only take me a year
As an undergraduate, I was trying to enter the Communication Studies program but the requirements were a lot different two years ago. I had already taken the required courses but could not get into the program. That is the reason why I chose to do Theatre Arts instead. This time, I only needed 21 credits to complete the program. This would allow me to finish in two semesters.
I was missing something from my undergraduate education
I have always wanted to work in television, either on a talk show or a series. I decided to do my first degree in Theatre because it seemed like the right thing to do at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I love acting but not on a stage. I knew I could have done more towards a television focus, but I had already been discouraged. I thought that with my experience in acting I would have the same opportunity to get internships as a regular Communication student. Sadly, I did not have the resources to look for jobs or internships in the field.
I would save a lot of money
Since I was working basic jobs and not in my field, I would struggle monetarily and could not afford to pay for graduate school. I had almost run out of my student loan limit but it was enough to pay a second bachelor’s degree. people encouraged me to apply to scholarships; but loans covered the expenses. Living with my parents is a big help because I do not pay rent. This helped me fit another year of school in my schedule and I did not have to worry about being homeless.
The Final Decision
Everything that happened made me realize that my career path was not going in the right direction. I did my research and made the choice to apply to college again. I decided to leave my insecurities and disappointments behind, and start over.
at first, coming back terrified me and I was feeling like I had failed. But I did not let that get to me. I know that many people don’t have the courage to admit when they are not okay and seek a solution. That’s why I made a plan and I set new goals for myself. I looked for opportunities to gain experience and network along the way.
For example, I became a journalist on the Weather Minute for The Quad, a host for a live show on Facebook with a couple of my friends, and I met great professors that are always willing to help out.
My intention is not to scare anyone and make them believe life after college will be like mine, I just want to emphasize the fact that they should not be afraid to fail. There is always another opportunity to have a fresh start.
