Your Dreams Are Worthwhile
By Sally Johnson
My story takes place at a crucial divergence in my life. I am a senior graduating college which means I get asked on a daily basis “what are your plans after graduation?”. Honestly, I have no clue, but that’s not necessarily the satisfying answer most people expect. I was never the person to have my entire life planned out in terms of my professional career, and it wasn’t out of choice to not be determined to find something. Believe me, the lack of clarity with my future was definitely stress-inducing. It’s not easy to feel like you are floundering in an ocean of possibilities when everyone else is already setting sail on their journeys. Nevertheless, sometimes it’s okay to flounder, and I’ll tell you why.
The summer going into my senior year, I felt bold and adventurous. I wanted to move to a new city in a different state and explore more than the Midwest. My excitement dissipated once the fall semester started – my time was being consumed by classes, my internship, homework and my social life. I was overwhelmed, and I started to eliminate the idea of moving.
In addition to the bustle of my personal life, there were further external influences that were affecting my conscience. From the onset of my freshman year, my parents were anticipating my completion of an MBA program at my university. They never told me I was required to pursue the degree, but their thoughts were obvious. It’s an attractive opportunity – graduate with an MBA degree with just one additional year of schooling rather than a 2- or 3-year program at other universities. Feeling overwhelmed by my semester, I began to consider this as my next step going forward, only because I still didn’t have any plans and I faced so much confusion around whether working or further education should be my next step.
Over winter break, I would say I had a “eureka” moment. I was in a deep conversation with a few friends explaining to them the internal conflict I had with my life after graduation. There are only a few times in life when the entire world is at your fingertips, but which branch do you reach out and grab? I was explaining how for the first time since I was a child, someone told me with complete sincerity “you have the power to pursue your dreams and accomplish anything you want.” I pondered the idea of when that divide occurs… As a child, everyone has no hesitation in setting you up for success by exclaiming “you can do whatever you set your mind to”, but how quickly that changes as an adult. What makes us forget about our dreams that came so easily as a child?
In my contemplation of this idea, I questioned what made me forget that I wanted to leave the Midwest? Just a few months prior, I was excited about an opportunity to move and explore. My biggest fear is leaving my family – they’re all in Ohio. I would be leaving my friends that I’ve grown so close to over the past four years. This is when my friend said to me, “no matter where you go, there will always be people to show you love.” This was my “eureka.”
I knew no one coming to college. I had never been to Cleveland. After four years, I’ve developed an abundance of relationships. So, why can’t I do that again? I realized that I had been complacent in thinking about doing the MBA. While my parents want what’s best for me, I realized that the timing is just not right. It was arduous to explain my plans of not pursuing an MBA to them. They understand my choice, but I know they are still concerned with the opportunities an MBA could have provided me.
I have vowed not to forget about my dreams. There are so many moments in life in which we can be complacent, but for me, this is not one of them. Alan Alda illustrates this point well. He states, “You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.”
While you may not have to literally leave a city (like me), challenge yourself to pursue your dreams. Flounder in your possibilities and minimize your external environment so you can focus on yourself. Through this mentality, I have found a sense of personal empowerment. It is not an easy path to follow your dreams, but it’s the most worthwhile one.
