Opinion: Take it easy

 

 

Andrew Paulsen

Andrew Paulsen

Andrew Paulsen is a senior electronic media production major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].

We’re almost done, Class of 2012.

I know that some of you don’t want to be reminded of graduation, some of you can’t wait for graduation, some of you post a Facebook status every day updating the hours and seconds left until graduation, and then there are those of you who say “When is graduation again?”

By the way, it’s May 5, in case you were wondering.

There are plenty of things everyone has to wrap up over these next few weeks: final papers, group projects, portfolio reviews, exams and all other sorts of treacherous academic assignments.

I know that you’re anxious because I’m feeling a little in over my head myself.

I’m ready to be done with school busywork and just get on to focusing on my profession.

However, with that freedom from busywork comes a load of unfortunate responsibility. And by responsibility, I’m not talking about finding a new place to live, sending out job applications or sending off that first payment on your student loan.

I’m talking about the responsibility to answer friends and family asking you “What are you going to do next? Do you have a job? What are you going to do with your life?”

If it hasn’t happened to you already, be prepared.

If you thought it was bad at your high school graduation when people asked what you were going to study and what college you would be attending, graduating college is much worse. Any time you mention graduation, everyone around you seems to suddenly have a vested interest in your future career and begins to secretly judge you and compare their life decisions to yours.

OK, so not everyone has an agenda when they ask about your life post-college, and I bet that those closest to you genuinely care about what you do, but each time you have to give an answer, you might begin to question whatever aspirations and dreams you have for your life.

All I can say right now is relax.

Take a deep breath.

Exhale.

Take pride and confidence in the path that you’ve chosen and take a moment to not think about what lies ahead in the distance. In fact, take a break to spend time with your friends and have some fun.

Go to FlashFest Thursday at 3 p.m. in Manchester Field and enjoy great live music and a lively, crowd environment. Go to the Kiva Friday at 7:30 p.m. and be a part of a live studio audience for a late-night TV talk show. Go to the Relay for Life Walk on Saturday morning and then go and watch police arrest under-agers in the afternoon at College Fest.

Enjoy this weekend and these last days before you leave Kent State. Don’t take this transition time too seriously, but don’t let it fly past you.

I could quote Ferris Bueller here, but I won’t.

That’s cliché — just like most of this column.

So instead, I’ll leave you with this unrelated yet timely piece of advice: If you manage to make it up to the front of the herd at Flashfest today, avoid getting stuck in close quarters with a smoker. The last thing you want is a cigarette burn in the face from some drunken chick during “Semi-Charmed Life.”

That is all.