These days, my thoughts about my future tend to revolve around wildly outrageous scenarios. My dream scenario involves me getting on a plane with one of the big CBS producers, accidentally-on-purpose sitting next to him/her and making some small talk about our lives. He/She will find me so interesting (because I’m always interesting in my imaginary scenarios) that I’ll be able to pitch my dream television show, whip the script out of my carry-on (which I have conveniently kept under the seat in front of me), and land my dream job as a show-runner for the next “Grey’s Anatomy” or something.
Then, I usually mentally chide myself for having such an involved and specific dream for my future. But, if it happened to Fran Drescher, it can happen to me. Seriously, that’s how “The Nanny” got picked up.
With spring break behind us, the end of the semester is coming quickly. A lot of seniors are about to graduate and I’m starting to hear more and more anxiousness about “The Future,” “The Great Unknown.” I can’t blame them. I get anxious about “The Future” about once a week these days. Our whole lives, people have been asking us what we’re going to be when we grow up, and we’ve been thinking about what we’re going to be when we grow up. Now, we’re grown up, and – forget about figuring everything out, we have to have something figured out.
I’m not even sure I have that.
Do any of you students feel grown up? I sure don’t. I still forget to endorse my checks sometimes. I’m pretty sure I did my taxes wrong. And, according to the news, even if I get “The Future” somewhat figured out, I’m not going to get a job anyway, because there’s no room for me in the workforce. Meanwhile, “The Future” is coming, racing toward me.
What is it Meredith Grey said? “We’re adults. How did that happen? And how do we make it stop?”
I try to calm down. Because, even though the odds are stacked horribly against me, I can still say that I’m, you know, graduating – with a degree. Which is awesome! And I have some survival skills. I’ll have spent at least 18 years in the U.S. educational system. I’ll have gone through three cycles of room draw. And, if that’s not enough, miracles exist. Even if unicorns do not.
Bring it on, “The Future.” We can come out swinging, the underdogs of tomorrow.
Kylee McIntyre can be reached at [email protected]
