20something profile: Stephanie

This post was written by Stephanie, who wants to provide counseling for families and children:

Hello all! I’m here to share my 20something journey thus far. My name is Stephanie Graham. I graduated in December 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a psychologist. When I was young, I wanted to be a psychologist because it was seemed to be a very appealing and professional career, plus I heard they make good money. 😉 When I grew older, I realized I loved helping people and had a natural ability in listening to others. Ask any of my friends, and they will tell you that I have a very reliable set of ears and give pretty insightful advice.

Advertisement

20something profile: Ola

This post was written by Ola, a 21-year-old girl from Egypt:

I graduated college in June of 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Since my graduation, I’ve been nothing but a lost soul searching for its real purpose in the world and the true meaning of its life. At first, I was like any other college graduate looking everywhere for a job or rushing to apply to as many grad schools as they can. It went on for about six frustrating months until I realized I was moving in the wrong direction.

20something profile: Tinika

This post was written by Tinika, a 23-year-old writer from New Jersey:

If someone told me my life would turn out like this, I’d probably laugh. Not because my life lacks meaning or it’s hard, but because it’s not the way I imagined. Robert Burns said it best: the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry.

Although I was always good at writing, I never wanted to pursue it professionally. It was always something that I did for fun. I thought that if I became serious about it, it would stop being fun, and I would hate it.

Instead, I decided to focus my energies on becoming a psychologist. After I graduated high school, I decided to do that at Florida A&M. Although I was doing well in school and enjoying my experiences there, I had to leave a year and a half later due to financial and personal issues.

20something profile: Caitlin

This post was written by Caitlin, a graduate student in Higher Education Administration:

As a later 20-something, it’s astounding to step back and realize that I’ve spent almost the entire decade in college. I began college at the ripe age of 17 back in 2003 with a heart full of hope, career aspirations, and excitement. I planned on being a clinical or forensic psychologist; I was passionate about working with criminals and victims. After transferring colleges as a sophomore, I completed my Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology in 2008.

Being a first generation college student, there was an absence of real guidance into and through college. Instead, I listened intently to alumni speakers and took hold of their urging: “Don’t wait until you graduate to work in your field.” With dedication and determination, I began working in social services at 18-years-old.

20something profile: Stephanie

This post was written by Stephanie, who studied psychology in college:

The thing about college is that high school doesn’t fully prepare you for it. Teachers constantly tell you, “Get ready for the real world,” but it’s not until after you graduate that you realize that was nothing compared to what the real world is.

College was a long struggle for me, and sometimes it felt like I was struggling more than my own friends. I went in with a major in journalism. I then impulsively made the decision that journalism wasn’t my calling. I couldn’t deal with the deadlines. I honestly can’t work well under pressure. I become this panic attack mess, and shit hits the fan.

20something profile: Nina

This profile was written by Nina, a blogger and mental health therapist:

Right after I graduated from DePaul University with a BA in psychology in 2009, I went immediately into graduate school. I started in an Industrial Organizational psychology program (hated it) but then transferred into a MS in Mental Health Counseling program the following semester. This was January 2010.

I graduated with my master’s September 2012. During my time in grad school, however, I moved from Chicago back to Minnesota, where I grew up, and moved in with my parents and sister. This is very atypical in comparison with most of my peers, but economically it made the most sense for me. This decision was also very culturally appropriate and acceptable given my Persian background.

20something profile: Juliet

This post was written by Juliet, a college senior who wants a career in advertising:

My name is Juliet Rocco, and I’m a senior at Rochester Institute of Technology studying new media marketing with a minor in psychology. I’m graduating this year in May and look forward to finding full-time employment in the field of advertising.

A lot of people give me a quizzical look when I tell them what my major is. In its simplest form, new media marketing is a combination of classical marketing, internet marketing and graphic design. I decided to throw psychology into the mix because I think it’s important as a marketer to understand how people think and why they do certain things.