My take is that graduation season is the best and the worst time ever. Every last coffee run, movie night, and class with your favorite professor feels a million times more meaningful, emotional, exciting than every other one before. But with this emotion comes so much sadness. Graduating from college and moving on into the “real world” is one of the biggest challenges we face as adults. I always felt like my life had a next step, a path forward. During graduation I realized my path was ending and suddenly I could wander in any direction I chose, and that idea was paralyzing.

Finding a job added another layer of stress to the parfait of uncertainty that had suddenly become the main course of my life. I graduated with a degree in Political Science and a concentration in human rights. But, I had no direction for my career search. I applied for fashion writing jobs and Capitol Hill assistant positions alike. I had been blissfully unaware of how challenging it was going to be to get a job, especially one that I liked. As my friends started to secure positions, I was still getting rejection emails. This was when the self-doubt crept in. I had expected it to be so easy to get a job that I would love, I had assumed my friends and I would all gravitate towards the same city. But I was starting to realize that these expectations weren’t going to happen.

About two weeks before I got in contact with Brewbike, I had a conversation with my Mom about the kind of job I wanted to have. I realized I was applying to SO many different fields and concentrations, but I was really looking for a job that would be meaningful to me, one where I would enjoy my day-to-day work.

When I accepted this position at Brewbike, I wasn’t totally sure of it. I hadn’t ever imagined myself working for a startup or going into the coffee business. What I knew was that I thoroughly enjoyed each conversation I had at Brewbike. I knew I would respect and appreciate my coworkers. Deciding to work for Brewbike ended up being the best choice I could have made for myself. I am excited by my work and energized to be part of building an impressive company and a tight-knit community both on campus and in HQ. I feel like my voice is heard and valued, and I’ve had the opportunity to work on different DEI projects and campaigns- something I am so passionate about. I know I would not have had these experiences in any of the other jobs I was applying for, even though I was so sure they were right for me at the time.

In the three months after graduation, I felt like I was going through a quarter-life crisis. I still do, in many ways. But, I feel more at peace in the chaos because I realized everyone kind of feels this way. I still experience anxiety and stress about the unknown variables of my life. But I feel so much more stable and simply ok knowing that I’m headed in the right direction, wherever that takes me. Figuring out how to forge your own path in life can be so exciting and rewarding, in addition to being really scary. I believe that ultimately, life spits you out where you’re supposed to be even if it’s not what you expected. If you’re in graduation season and feeling completely unsure of yourself and your life, I just want you to know that you’re not alone! My best advice is to be open to all opportunities, even ones that you didn’t expect.