The first week of school is a weird thing when you aren’t participating in it for the first time in about 17 years. Everyone is still buying books, figuring out their schedules, and taking first day of school pictures, but I’m just going to work like I always do on Monday mornings.
On Twitter, the hash tag #postgradprobs has been appearing on my feed recently. In reading some of the tweets I’ve seen echoes of some my own feelings as well as revelations of what life is really like after graduation. Some tweets hold excitement over new jobs, new towns, and new friends, but the majority express feelings of uncertainty of the future, lack of money, longing for “the good ol’ college days,” missing friends, living at home and an overall dislike of work and life.
So what should postgrad life look like? Are we really supposed to be finding success, chasing our dreams, and finding our soul mates just three months after graduation? That’s what we went to college for, right?
After thinking and praying over these questions, God kept pointing me to Ecclesiastes where Solomon writes “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Eccl. 3:1). Afterwards, Solomon lists pairs of activities, and then he states, “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Eccl. 3:11).
Postgrad life is just another chapter that God is revealing in His perfect timing. And like the other chapters, this too will be beautiful in His time.
In the beginning of each new season, it is so easy to get frustrated with the present and desperate for the past. However, let this serve as encouragement to find joy in the present even if your dreams aren’t coming true, you job isn’t perfect, and you haven’t met the man of your dreams. Let it also serve to remind you to rejoice with those going through the stages you just went through and not to look on them with jealousy or contempt.
Each new season of life presents opportunities to grow, learn, share joy, and embrace the adventure that God has so perfectly written for us. Don’t become so caught up in “postgradprobs” that you forget to enjoy this new chapter.