Really, there are much more important things to pray for...but I'll take the prayers that I can get. :)
In the meantime I wanted to share an excellent piece by my friend and coworker Christina. She spent some time reflecting on her first year out of college and came up with a list of "10 things I've learned about the 'real world' during my first year in the 'real world'."
1. Live with good friendsMy very favorites are 2 and 6, but I feel like I could post on each of these. Thanks for the inspiration Christina.
2. People told you that you are amazing and that you can change the world. This was a lie. JK. You are amazing and you can change the world, it's just that no one in the "real world" will believe you until you prove it.
3. Be white American. You can complain and definitely find support, but be white American. That's how the world is run.
4. Learn to make decisions. Learn that it's okay not to make the perfect decision and that sometimes you just have to go for it.
5. Read the news in moderation. After living in a college bubble, too great an intake of the sad happenings of the world can cause depression.
6. Be humble. Really, BE HUMBLE. You can try to change the world, but first just live in it and learn from it. It knows more than you do.
7. When angstfully trying to decide what to do with your life, remember what an incredible privilege it is to have a choice at all.
8. If bored at your job, listen to books online for free at librivox.org. Rediscover fiction and enjoy readers' fake accents.
9. Take public transportation if you can. Driving grinds hopes and dreams out of the soul.
10. Value commitment over consumerism. Stick to things, places, people, even if you don't receive immediate gratification. Give it real chance because sometimes it takes demonstrated investment on your part before you receive gratification.
Now to you: what were some of your thoughts or reflections on your first year out of college? I would love to hear.
4 comments:
Love Christina's list! Here's what I learned in my first year out of college: when you're going to school, it's all about you and what you can get out of every experience and how every special thing you apply for will benefit you as a student, a leader, a person, whatever. When you go to work, it's not about you at all. It's about the organization: what can YOU do for IT.
I went through this shift and have watched others go through it and it can be a real challenge. And also a real blessing, as in: the world is complicated and not all about you and these things are much of what makes it profoundly interesting!
I think you're right Cynthia. There is a key shift from thinking about what do I get to thinking about what can I give. It's most pronounced after college, but I think it's also a longer term change as we move from being kids to being adults.
I'm loving these recent posts David - this is exactly what I'm going through right now!
Things I've learned this year:
- Displacement and disorientation can be jarring. But God can meet us in the wilderness. He provides refuge, community, and intimacy amidst the chaos and isolation of the real world.
- I've also come to learn that if I want to experience personal growth I need to be intentional about it. There are older, wiser people out there who can help guide me through young adulthood, but I need to proactively seek them out. Mentors are awesome!
- I have no idea where I will be or what I will be doing in five years... but that's okay.
- Most fundamentally, I feel like I have learned (and am still learning) much about myself. Who am I? What makes me tick? What ticks me off? How do I envision the needs of the world?... and eventually, where do the needs of the world and my passions intersect?
Wow. That is great Caroline! So happy to hear what God is teaching you.
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