This past weekend marked one year since I graduated from UCLA. As I scrolled through the class of 2018’s graduation posts, I remembered how excited I was to finally be done with school but also how nervous I was. College is challenging yes but its also a bubble. To a certain degree, you can experiment, make mistakes and grow without any real repercussions. Entering the workforce is a completely different challenge and comes with its own adjustments.
My first-year post-grad has been filled with ups and downs. In the year since I left UCLA I have moved back into my parents home despite my goal to live alone after graduation, purchased my first car on my own, gotten hired at one of the best companies in the entertainment industry, gained (and lost) a ton of weight, cried in the bathroom at work from frustration soooo many times, reconciled with friends I thought I would never talk to again, gotten angry at God, been depressed, witnessed friends get married, grown closer to my family, and so much more. In October, I chopped all my hair off for the second time. At the time I told everyone it was a matter of convenience when truthfully I felt like my life was completely out of my control and my appearance was something I could control.
I share all this to say that completing college or any other major milestone can seem like a scary thing but it doesn’t have to be. The number one thing I have done successfully in the year post-undergrad is failed and I’m happy about that. Failing teaches us so much about ourselves. Don’t be afraid to fail and fail hard. It takes time to get this adulting thing right. I’m still figuring it out! Be easy with yourself and embrace the next chapter of your story.
Photography// MIRIAM BRIBIESCA for Mia Brumfield
