I finally get my degree this May at graduation. Praise Be! I finally get that coveted piece of paper that tells the competitive world I’m in the game. That’s right: I’m a player now. I earned my degree, and I’m ready to go. Go where? Well, I’m not exactly sure. But I know it’s somewhere nice. I want a fancy job where I get to travel a lot. And it must involve a lot of money. And a nice, secluded mansion with a dog named Jack who sticks his head out the window of my Range Rover. Oh, and a helicopter too. I don’t know what field of work this would entail, but I think I just gave the job description of a drug czar.You must have figured me out by now. I do not know what I’m doing after college. I have no “what next?” strategy. When people would ask about my post-graduate plans, I felt obligated to impress: “I just landed a marketing research position at the Manhattan Branch of Charles Schwab: starting salary at $85 grand, full health and dental, corner office, country-club membership, my own personal assistant and a dog to stick his head out of my company car. It’s just a temporary thing, of course, until I get a better offer.” Sounds a lot better than answering, “Uh, landscaping?” I was ashamed to admit I had nothing solid planned for my future. At 22 years old I should have it figured out by now. While everyone was busy brandishing his or her resume at career fairs I was wasting the day getting drunk at the Fly. I felt like that grasshopper who screwed around all summer. The train left me standing in the station. It was too late to plan my future.”Nonsense,” said Paula at Loyola’s Career Services Center. Paula dismissed my notions that it was too late in the game. Just about nobody knows what he wants out of life at 22, she said. I still have time to do anything I want (minus pro ball – any ball). Most graduates don’t exit college in high gear doing 80 in a 55. Most just idle. I learned that drunk grasshoppers can catch the train on time.But this is not to say I am completely devoid of any direction. There are a million things I want to do, from auto mechanic to CIA. I just have to decide what will make me the happiest, then get on my horse.I leave Loyola armed with a degree in history (look out, world!). So the obvious choices are teaching or law school. Hmm, I spent eighteen years of my life going to school with the primary purpose of getting out of school. Teaching involves school, thus defeating said purpose of school. The same applies to option two.A history education may not impress Charles Schwab, but it’s good to have. A strong understanding of the past provides a stronger understanding of the present. Trust me. History classes are more than just remembering dates and names. My major will prove useful… someday. But enough about life in the long run.Shortly after graduation I will return to my sweet home in Alabama. Some old high school buddies have asked me to work on a documentary with them during the summer. Together we will revolutionize the film industry. Then studio executives will give us a blank check for our next project. If, however, for some reason this should fail, I’ll join the army. The military is a good way to earn money and skills, build your character and your resume, and it’s the perfect way to give back to Uncle Sam. It’s also a good way to get shot at in strange, faraway lands. But, to me, the army is better than the Peace Corps. At least I’ll get to shoot back. I figure I’ll do my time, serve, and get it over with.Graduation marks the end of one era and the beginning of a new one (cliché, yes, but for a reason, nonetheless). I’m ready to cross that line into uncertainty with confidence. My education stands among the best in the world. And if there is anything four years of college has taught me, it’s how to handle my alcohol.This won’t exactly ensure a life leading toward success and greatness, but wherever it leads me, I know I’ll have a good time getting there.

-James Sears is a history senior