4 Epiphanies Every College Graduate Has

1. I can eat anything I want! (as long as I don’t have to cook it)

No more of that overcooked cafeteria junk! No more having to eat whatever your parents decide is for dinner. You are an adult and you get to pick what you want to eat! Forget that you only know how to cook toast and cereal. That’s your dinner now! Ramen and spaghetti all you can afford? No problem! Because you get to choose which one you want!

2. No more homework! (Or any work for that matter)

The stress is gone. Goodbye to the days of professors breathing down your neck for that next assignment. There is no more homework looming in your future. Luck is on your side; there isn’t any work to be seen anywhere in the near future! No potential employers returning your calls? That’s not a problem. Your time is now yours. You have nothing to worry about and you owe nothing to anyone. (Except those loans, but who’s counting?)

3. I get to work my dream job! (unless its not anything entry level or above)

 Now that you have that shiny degree let’s get that dream job! Read those job descriptions and customize those cover letters! Jump into that entry level job to climb that ladder of your career. Oh, the job requires at least two to five years of experience? Forget about it! Your semester working as a freelance writer for the university newspaper should suffice. Just keep it up. Someone is bound to misread your resume eventually!

4. I will finally get paid for my work! (how’s minimum wage sound?)

You've been doing the projects and assignments in your classes. You've done the free work to build that portfolio. Now you finally get paid for the hard work you put in! We don’t mind that the pay isn't high. It’s something! I’m sure that $5/hour internship will have a raise soon! It’s your dream job. We don’t even need money because we are just happy to do it!

Let The Hunt Begin!.…Is It Still Going?

I am on the job hunt. No, I am not down on my luck. No, I am not waiting to snatch up the first thing that comes along to start putting the cash back in my wallet. I am looking for the right opportunity to come along.

Come September I will be married to a wonderful lady who is killing it in her career in Washington, D.C. Naturally that means I am packing my bags and joining her in the political landscape that is our nation’s capital. A beautiful city that is full of life, history and traffic (who planned the streets in this town?!), D.C. is filled to the brim with dreams of changing the world. That means I’m not alone here. Trust me, I’m going to change the world. Being in D.C. you just have to compete with a few more people for that opportunity.

I transitioned out of my previous job nearly a month ago. Being a young, resilient and overall adaptable guy, fresh with a college education and a few years of experience under his belt, you might think it would have been an easy task to jump in to the world of the hunt and find something greater! Eh…

From the moment I left my job, the fear set in. It’s difficult jumping from a world of complete certainty in a town that you love into the tedious duty of finding a job in a big ol’ city with a cost of living that looks like it is trying to show off how tall it can get. It’s like a kid at the doctor’s office standing on his tip toes and stretching his neck to prove he is actually taller than all his friends. The first thing I had to do was sit down, breathe and think the entire situation through.

The first thing I decided was that I was not unemployed. I just became my own boss. “That’s awesome, Roman!” you might say. Nay, nay. I am a jerk. I make myself work ridiculous hours and I give myself impossible deadlines. I put immense amounts of pressure on myself, and become very frustrated when I can’t meet my own exceedingly high expectations. The main perk is that boss Roman, very much like myself, loves food and is sparing when it comes lunch time.

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“At the center of your being you have the answer: you know who you are and you know what you want.”

— Lao Tzu

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I set out on re-branding myself. This included my web portfolio, resume, physical portfolio, social media presence and even the way I spoke to people. I had to reevaluate who I was as a designer and as an employee. I wanted to effectively establish my professional identity, and I set out on the most effective way of presenting that to people who did not know me. That simple task took longer than expected, but it has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in a long time.

Then I moved on to letting people know who I was. I began, not by applying for jobs and talking to people, but by reading other peoples blogs and articles to learn from the experiences of others. The job search is not the newest craze. There are people, far more experienced myself, who have recorded their job hunt experiences for the benefit of others. I enlisted their help, and I am glad I did.

Once I began applying for jobs, I was so incredibly hopeful. But with the job market being over saturated with recent graduates and other employees who have been laid off, it’s easy to become discouraged with the vast array of competition. I know, I know. I have only been at this for a month. It’s tough though. I have learned a lot in this month, and I know that I still have a lot more to figure out. For now I am loving the ride, and I am excited to see where it will take me!

The Inspiration All Around Us

     Walking through the motions of each day, we pass by numerous billboards, flyers, posters, bulk-mail, spam, road signs, and products. This is so commonplace for many that most do not take the time to realize the culmination of all the work around them.

     As I sat in a doctor’s office the other day waiting, I looked from wall to wall trying to find something to read to pass my time. Directly in front of me was a large poster with a human skeletal form with each of the bones labelled. I looked from head to toe trying to name each bone and see if I actually learned anything from my anatomy and physiology classes before I checked the actual names. As I got down to the phalanges of the foot (Yeah, I learned something) I began to notice the layout of it all.

     It was an extraordinarily well laid out poster. I took a mental image and cleared away all of the text in my mind. I attempted to lay out the same piece in my head, but found it to be quite a difficult task. It seemed nearly impossible to handle so many words placed so close to each other and keep it all clear and consistent while also allowing a proper balance. I was quite impressed. To think, this wonderfully designed piece of art merely had the simple function of showing the skeletal structure and all I could imagine is how I would love to shake the hand of the designer for a job well done.

   I began to look at all of the things on the wall around me and the way that each piece was designed and laid out. Then I moved on the objects such as containers and scales and tables. Each of these were designed to fulfill a specific purpose as well. Thinking of the thoughts that others had to think to create these things was inspiring to me.

     I began looking at signs directing me to restrooms and forms I had to sign (which are not so well designed) and all of these things were leading me to do things or conveying messages I needed. Even when the work I feel that I am doing is menial, such as designing signage or small collateral pieces that people will not look at twice, I know that it has a purpose. Though it might not be fully appreciated to the extent that my pride would prefer, I am helping to improve the surrounding environments of the individuals who happen upon it all.

     That skeleton helped me to affirm what little knowledge I continue to hold on the human anatomy. I call it a success.