Post-collegiately we find ourselves in a foreign world, all the mile markers which, for so long, have invited a sense of accomplishment and elicit the congratulations of our friends and family have changed. We can no longer rely on the external factors of honor societies, deans lists, and the like to evaluate our place in society. For the first two decades of our lives, we were constantly reinforced with standardized feedback; our performance could be objectified, quantified, and mailed home at the end of every quarter.
In addition to the lack of objective feedback, we have left a world we know and are familiar with for, what I have come to know as the "real world". As a senior in college or a graduate student, we have reached the pinnacle of our academic careers. We are on top of our game, we are connected in our communities, and we know the ins and outs of the system. It seems, that all too soon, we must abandon these familiarities for a foreign world in which we must again start from the bottom.
Many of our courses culminate with mock interviews to prime us for our job search. The valedictions of our professors, coaches, and classmates are heartfelt and filled with well-wishes, encouragement, and pearls of wisdom. One more minute, one more drink, one more week. We try to hang on to the world that we know, but it slowly slips from our fingertips as our friends pack up their cars and leave campus for the last time.
It is difficult to objectify our performance among our peers when we work with such a wide range of people with different backgrounds and experiences... But as a new employee we quickly learn our place in the work world. Vacation time, shift preference, and wages are all dictated by seniority, as they should be, but it is clear to see that we are at the bottom of the hierarchy. There is so much to learn, so much "constructive criticism", and no quarterly pat on the back. It is at this point that I realized I have to find something more than work to maintain a healthy psyche and self-image.
