I'm approaching my senior year of college. This means people have started asking me about my future on the daily. Literally, all the times. It's gotten to the point where I'm tempted to print my answer on business cards to hand to people because I'm sick of repeating myself.
I know I'm not the only one who dreads seeing family friends you haven't talked to in months.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad people are interested in my life, or at least pretend they are. I appreciate it, but I wish that my post-graduation plans weren't the only things they were concerned about.
Here are some of the questions I despise and the answers I wish I could give:
1. What are you doing after graduation?
Maybe get a graduate degree. Maybe shave my head and live in the mountains. I don't know yet. Please don't ask me.
2. What are you going to do with an English degree?
Write. A lot.
3. Do you have a boyfriend yet?
Nope.
4. Where are you going to live next year?
Probably an apartment. Or in a van down by the river. Who knows?
5. Do you know where you want to work after college?
Somewhere that's hiring people with little to no experience. Wish me luck.
6. Do you have a job?
Yes! Thank goodness.
7. Where do you work?
Everywhere. I'm a copywriter, journalism intern, babysitter, writing tutor, and pet sitter.
8. Are you sure you want to be an English major?
It's a little late for that. But yes, I'm sure.
9. Are you going to live in Arizona forever?
Unless the heat melts me into oblivion.
10. Do you like GCU?
Yes. Lopes up.
11. Where is GCU?
Not where you think.
13. Can you convince my son/daughter to go to GCU?
Um… No?
14. Do you live on campus?
Yep! I'd probably get mugged if I lived in the surrounding neighborhood.
15. What are you doing this summer?
Trying not to die of heatstroke while interning, babysitting, tutoring, and getting caught up on "Greys Anatomy".
These are the questions that I seem to get asked time and time again. I'm tired of it.
What if instead of asking people what they're doing with their lives, we started asking people how they're doing in their lives?
Changing "What are you doing?" into "How are you doing?" could make all the difference.
Most college students I talk to have no clue what they're doing, and I think that's okay. Constantly being asked about your future is a never-ending reminder that you lack a plan.
So next time you encounter a college student in the wild, try asking about who they are, rather than what they are doing or should be doing.
