20something profile: Adina

This post was written by Adina, a journalism graduate who works as a magazine editor:

I fell into my career — actually, more like tripped.

In my sophomore year of high school, I took a class to write for the student newspaper because I thought it would be a study hall. (Evidently, I was a hard worker.) I ended up enjoying writing for the paper and stuck with it for the rest of high school.

And here I am almost seven years later with a journalism degree from the University of Georgia. (Along with a new media certificate and French minor for good measure.)

Ever since my graduation in December 2012, people have asked me what job I want. I’ve never been the type to live in New York City, so that option was out. Really, I wanted nothing more than to write. Or edit. Or report. Or something like that.

20something profile: Anthony

This post was written by Anthony, an editor at a startup marketing company:

Hey there! I’m Anthony.

I didn’t know the reactions I would be getting after I declared my major to “English;” all the raised eyebrows, the feigned interest, that unmistakable look in their eyes that said:

“English?

…you know that’s stupid, right?”

But I was like, bump that. I’m gonna study English and writing! It was hard, though — simply fighting against the waves of incredulity was difficult enough, not to mention reading 20 books a semester at about 2 essays a pop. My dad never dropped the whole military-route thing throughout college, but I didn’t care. I was doing what I loved, even if I had to constantly tell people no, I wasn’t planning on being a high school English teacher.

20something profile: Brian

This post was written by Brian, a Classical Studies major who also works as a contractor:

The first thing you should know about me is that I destroyed my own house. Don’t worry, that is important, and it comes up later.

I am a Classical Studies Contractor. In my daytime, I manage rental properties for Butler University seniors, my Alma Mater. I graduated in May 2012 a Classical Studies Major. Yeah, Latin and Greek. At night I tutor those poor lost students learning dead languages, I read obscure authors and I write about America the way Cicero wrote about Rome.

In 2007, my brother and I started a project our mom had dreamt of in all the years I lived in Illinois. We started a renovation on my childhood home, and my brother and I were the demolition crew. We punched sledgehammers through walls. We tore out the knob and tube by hand. Laughing, I ripped down plaster and lathe with my own hands. The fools we were, blinded by architectural plans that would never be.

20something profile: Ally

This post was written by Ally, an English major who chose to follow her dream of becoming a writer:

“An English major, huh?” Nods. Long pause. “So… What are you going to do with that?” Sighs.

While earning my B.A. in English Writing at Butler University between August 2008 and May 2012, this was a question I heard all too often. I’m sure other English majors can agree that for whatever reason, the English major has developed a reputation. To many, it’s considered an aimless pursuit.

To some degree, this is true. Majoring in English is not going to propel you toward a specific, definite career path. But these days, can any college major set you up that perfectly? While perhaps a degree in English lacks specificity, its benefits lie elsewhere. Critical thinking. Clear communication. Creative approach. These are skills I gained from majoring in English that I feel could prepare me for nearly any career. “So…What are you going to do with that?” Pause. Thinks. “Well, actually…anything I want.”

20something profile: Adam

This post was written by Adam, who graduated with a degree in International Affairs:

Phrases are the gap in my knowledge.

But one has resonated since I graduated: “This is where the rubber meets the road,” said to me around the time of my graduation in August of last year. At that point, I didn’t know why the tires weren’t on the road in the first place, but now it has become clear.

Let’s be real. We aren’t real people until debates about tax reform suddenly seem relevant. One may know some of the basic principles of economics from a sophomore course in micro, but until you’ve lost $1,400 in purchasing power over the next fiscal year due to taxes, you don’t really get it.

20something profile: Amari

This post was written by Amari, whose passions include writing and sports:

I’ve had a college degree for all of a month; the ink is still drying on my Thank You cards. I graduated Dec. 15, 2012 with a BA in journalism because I LOVE to write.

Am I going back to school? I doubt it. My longtime goal of writing a New York Times Bestseller is still on the list, but my ultimate goal is to be a sports reporter for ESPN. However, until that day, I’ll enjoy any career that lets me do what I love.

To prepare for my ultimate goal, I have a newly created sports blog. I try to familiarize myself with the different sports shows, reporters and bloggers. And of course, I watch the most important games. I also talk to a lot of guys on/off Twitter just to see what their opinions are; it’s a great tool that helps me develop a few of my blog entries.

20something profile: Melanie

This post was written by Melanie, who aspires to be a medical writer:

I graduated from Coventry University in summer 2012 with a 2.1 (Honours) in Biomedical Science and have a career plan to become a medical writer. Throughout my 3 years at university, we were constantly reminded of the difficult job market awaiting us, but it was inevitable we would have to enter this real world eventually.

I applied for hundreds of jobs throughout the last few months of university, ready to have a job waiting for me to start the day after my last exam, but this is not how university and getting a job works. I attended interviews across the country for jobs that were even slightly related to my degree, spending the last of my overdraft on a trip to remote Yorkshire where I interviewed for a very promising role, only to be turned down due to a ‘lack of experience within the area’.

20something profile: Emily

This post was written by Emily, a PR graduate who does social media for an educational agency:

I am Emily Ascani, a 2012 Temple University graduate with a degree in Strategic Communication and a concentration in Public Relations.

After graduating, I was intent on getting any kind of public relations position I could get my hands on in the Philadelphia area. Well, after a summer internship, hundreds of job applications and second interviews that never panned out…I was back at my parents’ house in the Lehigh Valley.

While this is not a terrible option, I was very discouraged facing the realization that most college grads don’t get a job right after graduation. I thought I had done everything I should have and more during my time at Temple and was confused as to why I couldn’t even secure an administrative assistant position off of Craigslist.

20something profile: Abigail

This post was written by Abigail, who became a business owner when she was 21-years-old:

I graduated from Belmont University in Nashville this past May with a degree in music business and audio production. Despite transferring midway through my sophomore year, I managed to finish on time in four years. Two days later, I opened up an office for Vector Marketing and started working.

Perhaps I should backtrack just a little, especially since this does not sound like the typical college student’s graduating experience. Indeed, my story is a bit unique.

Post-college regret and “The Opposite of Loneliness”

In May, a 22-year-old woman named Marina Keegan who had just graduated from Yale University died in a car accident. She had written an essay called “The Opposite of Loneliness” that was distributed in a special graduation edition of The Yale Daily News just days before her death:

KEEGAN: The Opposite of Loneliness (yaledailynews.com)

I’m sure that many of you have heard this story and have even read Marina’s essay. But I couldn’t write a blog about twenty-somethings and not at least mention “The Opposite of Loneliness,” which reflects many of the feelings that I had about graduating college and entering the real world: