Your first year of college is literally one of the best years of your life. Everyone around you is so young, friendly and free. Everything is new and exciting. From meeting new people, the freedom of being able to make your own choices, and basically just being away from home if we’re being honest.
I am both, grateful and thankful that I was able to go to school, being that many people aren't granted the opportunity. I am the first in my immediate family to finish and I am very proud. College was definitely a great life experience.
The thing is, nobody tells you that the journey gets weird. You know? When the growing pains start to kick in. That uncomfortable and awkward stage when you start outgrowing the old, but haven't yet figured out the new.
If you're in your 20’s, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
I went into college confident. I thought I had it all figured out. I knew what I wanted to do, and exactly who I wanted to be. Well at least I thought I did. It was only my sophomore year when I realized that whew! “I am literally lost.”
From losing interest in the career I’ve always dreamt about, changing my major far too many times, outgrowing friendships/relationships, hobbies.etc. It was like.. How can the things that you were so passionate about or close to just a year or some months ago, no longer interest you?
You start ignoring certain phone calls, making excuses to cancel plans with certain people. You get to this point where you are certain about the things that no longer serve you, and realize that now is the time to start digging and searching for what does.
Very uncomfortable, but beautiful it is when you start spending time with yourself.. REAL time with yourself! I became so obsessed with my own company that I began to dread doing anything social. My space was literally my happy place and that is where I figured some of these things out.
Fast forward to my last year, I found myself terribly bored in class way too often. Everyday was a super repetitive cycle of “Interview this person,” and “research that.” Of course as a journalist this is what I signed up for. I mean.. “Come on Chantise!! This is your career!”
However, I was tired of forcing interest in these things. I had to get real with myself. The real truth is, it is perfectly fine to not have it all together. It is normal to not have all of the answers in your 20s (or ever). I was completely over researching other things, I needed to do research within myself.
I started looking into aviation and a possible career in the industry. I followed social media pages, blogs, read books etc. I wanted to educate myself on the lifestyle of a flight attendant to see if it was truly something for me.
I felt that there was no better job for myself at the moment. I’m ridiculously young and knew that I needed to get into something that was going to make me genuinely happy.
I didn’t receive a lot of positive feedback or support when I shared my interest with some friends, family and professors. Of course, your people want to see you finish what you have started!
I didn’t let those opinions stop me however. I applied, I interviewed, I earned my wings and guess what? I'm happy!
Nine months post graduation and I go to work everyday feeling optimistic and full of energy. I don’t think any other job at this point of my life, where I’m on a quest to really find and enjoy myself could do the same thing for me.
I have so many other exciting things in store for my life. For now, I am enjoying all of the opportunities I am granted with. I have met some amazing people who are on the same journey as myself, and I have touched some of the most beautiful cities that I probably would have never thought to visit. I have a little spontaneous, wanderlust soul and the goal is to see as much of our world as possible starting now!
“Life is short and the world is wide, the sooner you start exploring it, the better.” – Simon Raven
💗💗
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