Life After College...

It's been a minute since I actually wrote anything for myself. Every paper, poem, short story, tweet, and comment were all used as steps to get me closer to my goal. My end game.

I made it. I did it. I did something no one in my family had ever done before. I graduated from college. It's been almost three years since I graduated, and I still have nightmares where I am late to class. In the nightmare I sometimes make it to class but somehow it is the last day of school but it is my first day in class! I wonder if those will ever pass.

Anyway, I did it. For so long, that was the only thing I focused on. Get my degree. All of this chaos will be worth it once I have that degree. All of the sleepless nights, and the endless papers would all be worth it. The degree makes you valuable. Right? 

To say I had tunnel vision is an understatement. I just KNEW that once I graduated, all of my dreams would come true.

What an idiot I was.

The thing I didn't factor in? Networking. Even if you have the degree, it doesn't matter. The job market is all about who you know. And I know NO ONE! I was a full time student, working a FULL TIME forty hour work week job. I have two kids and a husband. I hardly had time to sleep let alone network while I was trying to get my degree. 

Applying for jobs can be soul crushing. Honestly, how can I prove to an algorithm that I am worth the job interview? How do I prove that even though I went to a no-named college that my experience was just as good (if not better) than my peers applying for the same job? The reason why I have my current job is only because I knew someone who knew someone. I didn't "earn" my job. I wasn't "better" than any of the other candidates, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. They don't even care that I have a degree. I don't even get to use my degree. 

Again I say, soul crushing.  

So, now what? Graduate School? Certification of some sort? 

I can't be the only person experiencing this, right? 

I am fortunate that I get to do freelance editing. That is my jam even if the jobs are few and far between. Those jobs are what keep me ticking. They keep the dream alive that maybe one day I will build a big enough name for myself in the publishing industry. 

I think it is important to remind myself that although life after college is not what I thought it would be, it is a huge freaking deal that despite all the odds against me I got that damn degree. It's a celebration. Even if it doesn't always feel like it. 

Happy Reading y'all! Keep the faith! 

Lis

Don't Call it a Comeback

 I started this blog for two reasons: 

1. A grade. I know, I know. How cliché. But honestly, It was either a twenty page research paper, or create a blog. In hindsight, I probably  spent several more hours on this blog than my classmates spent writing their papers (on the night before it was due), but I don't regret it. I stand by my decision. Which brings me to my second reason for creating this space. 

2. I love books. I love reading. I love editing. And I wanted to create a space where all of my loves could live together under one roof. It's that simple. 

I am sad to report that I let this place go to waste in blogger land, and starve to death with all the other abandoned content dying in the internet. I could name endless reasons why I stopped putting time into my pet project, but that is not the purpose of this post. The purpose of this post is to say, "I'M BACK BABY." 

I believe in this space I created. I believe that there is an audience out there craving what I am craving. And I believe there is nothing more soothing to the soul than reading a good book, and telling the people in your life how freaking amazing it is. There is no better feeling than having someone share in your love of something that you recommended to them. 

I never stopped reading. But I did stop telling the people in my life about the books that I read. And that is not okay! It's time to come back with a vengeance! 

From here on, I will go old school and write book reviews, try to do author interviews, and I am going to start releasing some of my own work. Why not!?  A few poems (that are REALLY bad) here and there, or short stories perhaps. I took the time to write them down, why would I not share them with my community? 

So, I'm back baby. Tell  your friends! 

Happy Reading! 

Lis

What's Next?

It's time to graduate. The all-nighters are over. You have turned in your final assignments. The only thing left is to walk and get your diploma.

So, what's next?

Now you gotta get a job! The job that helped you get through college now seems like a burden. It's time to hit the pavement (or internet really), and find a job that you have worked so hard to earn.

Let's just pump the brakes for a moment. I had some recent advice come in from my amazing aunt. She told me to just enjoy the process. Enjoy the butterflies you get the first time you land an interview. Enjoy the whole graduation parade. Just take a moment and enjoy life.

It was sage advice. I was getting too nervous about what the heck I was going to do after graduation, that I was missing the actual graduation fun.

So, graduates I say this; congratulations! You rock! Enjoy the next few weeks! The time for job interviews will come, so just bask in your success and relax! You freaking earned it!

Good Luck,

Lisa