You are not alone in undecided post-graduation career decisions

Happy New Year, and welcome back to campus. If you spent your time off with extended family, I’ll bet that visit involved fielding many variations of the question, “What are your plans after college?”

For the lucky few who actually arrived at college knowing what they wanted to do, congratulations. Most of us cannot relate to you and are secretly envious. Oh, we try to hide it, but on the inside many of us fear there’s something wrong with us.

I’m a retired middle school teacher, and I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. But I now know that there isn’t anything wrong with that: in fact, I feel quite confident that I can stay curious and keep learning, even as a “woman of a certain age.” Believe it or not, I truly believe my confidence is rooted in my time at St. Ben’s.

When I arrived at St. Ben’s, I had no idea about an academic direction, let alone a career. When the time came to declare a major, I chose my favorite subjects, English and art history, without any specific plans for employment. I admit that I internally bristled when peers asked, “What are you going to do? Teach?” I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I had not planned on being an educator. My well-meaning inquisitors weren’t being judgy, though. It turns out that my CSB+SJU friends really knew me, even better than I knew myself at that age.

I graduated with my double major and was offered a … teaching job at my former high school. For that tiny private school, I didn’t need a teaching license. By taking the gig, though, I learned so much about the job and about myself. I discovered that I truly enjoyed it It was the perfect job for me, as my dear friends knew all along. After that experience, I took a risk and went back to school to earn my teaching license and a Master’s in education and began a long career.

As you start thinking about your life beyond college, keep in mind that it’s OK not to know exactly what you’re going to do. One thing you have going for you is that you are attending an institution that is known for graduates with highly marketable skills, and you might step into an extraordinary opportunity right away. But remember that it’s also OK to change your mind. Whatever you decide, your CSB+SJU village always has your back.