One Year Post-Grad

One year ago today, I graduated college with a Bachelor’s degree in English from Georgia State University. Four years of hard work, growth, challenges, and determination culminated in the payoff of receiving my diploma and recognition at our Class of ‘21 ceremony. My time at Georgia State will always hold a special place in my heart - it’s where I met the love of my life, where I refined and honed the skills I still use every day, and where I grew more as a person than in any other phase of my life. As I’ve started to see photos and videos being posted online of the Class of ‘22’s graduation ceremonies, I’ve been reminded of the excitement and joy that day brings, but also of the uncertainty that comes alongside those highs.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to attend and graduate college live very regimented and straightforward lives up until the big day, for the most part. In pre-school, middle school, high school, and college, there are rigid guidelines that directly tell you what success looks like. You are told where to be every day and when to get there. You’re told exactly what’s needed from you to get good grades, recognition, and rewards like scholarships. The loss of that direction by the time of college graduation can lead to a daunting, existential reflection that makes you ask “now what?”

But that is when you use the skills you’ve gained over the years more than ever before. The lack of direction shouldn’t be perceived as intimidating or scary, but instead as an opportunity to embrace the journey of young adulthood and of life altogether. In my first year post-grad, I’ve been proud of the steps I’ve taken to elevate my circumstances, and I’m confident in what the future has in store for me. I’ve moved in with my wonderful girlfriend, am coming up my first anniversary at a job that supports and engages me, and have maintained healthy relationships with those around me. None of this was by mistake, but none of it was necessarily difficult, either; instead, it only took me relying and trusting myself as an able, capable lifelong learner who embraces and learns from challenges that arise.

The freedom that graduating gives you is liberating. You are able to create your own schedules, define what success what looks for yourself, and create your own guidelines that define what makes a day good or bad. Instead of competing with others for grades, results, and scholarships, you are able to compete with who you were yesterday for growth, maturation, and fulfillment. I’m as confident in my own skin and in myself as I have ever been, and that’s because I’ve embraced and accepted that there is always so much room left to grow, but that steady improvements and small wins fuel that growth every day.

To those who are graduating this year: Don’t be afraid. Now is the time to reflect on how far you’ve come, look forward to how far you’ll go, and be patient with yourself as you navigate life post-grad. Now is also the time to rely on your support systems, and make sure they know how much you appreciate them. Tell your past self how proud you are, and tell your future self you can’t wait to watch things unfold. My first year post-grad has been everything I could’ve hoped for, and I can’t wait to continue this amazing ride.

Why I Chose To Be An English Major (GSU Blog Post #2)

College is strange. After spending the majority of your academic life studying a wide variety of subjects, you’re told to choose one to study even more in-depth, which will then define which career path you are going to follow, and ultimately how you will spend the rest of your life. Usually these decisions are made before you have the ability to vote or purchase alcohol, but they’re made nonetheless. So, as logic dictates, we make as much of a well-informed decision as possible given the absurdity of these circumstances. We choose subjects we’re naturally inclined toward. Those who didn’t enjoy analyzing novels and writing essays are likely to veer toward a STEM field, and those who need a calculator to verify that 9 + 7 does in fact equal 16 are more inclined to study the humanities. As someone who has a natural inclination toward language and communication, I made what felt like a reasonable decision by choosing to study English in college.

And that’s when the questions came flooding in. And the funny looks. Not just from society and the internet where an English degree has a bad rap in general, but from people face-to-face who I actually knew in real life. Questions like “So you want to teach?”, “Are you trying to write the next great novel?”, and “How are you going to get a job with that degree?” were both discouraging and exhausting to hear, and became frustrating to be asked over and over. Until I came up with answers.

At least a version of answers. They’re ever-changing and audience-dependent. They also took a long time to come up with, and funnily enough, are influenced by the things I learn in college. Finding out that I could concentrate my degree on “Rhetoric and Composition” was a game-changer. The courses associated with the path that I’m on focus on practical writing and thinking skills used every day in workplace settings. Despite what many think, effective written communication is actually becoming a scarce and highly-employable skill in most workplaces. Most people aren’t aware of this, so I forgive them for comparing my English degree with the typical pejorative Underwater Basketweaving trope.

I’m still not exactly sure what my future holds, but neither is anyone else. All I know is that I’m succeeding on my current academic path, which provides enough challenge to prevent me from getting bored, but not so much to the point of frustration. To anyone trying to figure it all out at once - stop. Appreciate every day for what it has to offer, run toward what makes you happy, and ignore the naysayers. They just don’t know it yet, but you’re going to prove them wrong. Thanks for reading.

My Writing Process (GSU Blog Post #1)

I’m finally starting to settle into my Spring semester of classes here at Georgia State University, which means syllabus week and the accompanying icebreakers it has to offer are finally out of the way. I’m now figuring out what’s going to be expected out of me throughout the upcoming months, and so far, I’m liking what I’m seeing for the most part. In my Business Writing course, one of the assignments given to us was to create a blog. As you probably know, I luckily already have one of those, one which is becoming quite established at this point. I’ve been told by my professor that I will be allowed to use this site, which is a nice bonus. Throughout my semester, I’m going to be posting academic-based pieces on this site explaining things like my process as a writer, how I decided to pursue an English degree, and other similar topics. Don’t worry, I’ll still be writing posts about the usual topics on a regular basis. Today, however, it’s all about how I sit down and turn my ideas into words ready for mental consumption. Let’s get into it.

Conventional wisdom (and practically everyone I’ve ever met) encourages us to approach writing in a very particular and replicable manner. That process includes brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, peer reviewing, editing, and eventually reaching a polished and thoroughly examined final product. I generally don’t adhere to these literary conventions. I’ve grown to describe myself as a “lightning-in-a-bottle” writer, as I generally set the spark of an idea ablaze by sitting down in front of my computer and just letting the language flow through me. I edit as I go along, and never stress if the stream of consciousness runs dry for some reason, as I’m certain things will starting flowing agin soon. I’m not sure if these practices will eventually prove to be detrimental as there is no real stability in how I write, but so far, following this model has led me to better results than over-planning used to.

The details of my process and ideal writing environment are specific, however. I like to seclude myself to my room with my laptop, a candle lit, music playing, a glass of water (or other beverage of choice now that I’m twenty-one) nearby, and with red light surrounding me. Weirdly specific, I know. This environment is the most conducive to me being able to produce effective writing. I’m sure that each writer’s process varies, and that’s why I don’t like to prescribe my methods to others. Instead, I believe discovering one’s writing process should come from trial, error, and practice all while trying new things until settling into a comfortable routine. Maybe most things in life are like that.

Or maybe I’m crazy. Either way, I’ve found success and improvement through my current writing process, and have no plans to change it. Does your writing process vary from mine? What do you think of taking this sort of approach? Be sure to let me and the world know. Thanks for reading.