Congratulations to the Class of 2020! By now, most of you have already had your commencements (virtual or otherwise) or are preparing for graduation Plan B. We’re sorry you were robbed of this milestone. But in the tradition of unsolicited life advice given by older-but-not-necessarily-wiser individuals either during graduation ceremonies or parties, here’s a little advice from us:
One of the hardest lessons you will ever learn as a young adult is there is truth to “To every thing there is a season” and not everyone’s season is the same.
K-12 schools do a good job of keeping people of similar ages on the same track. For 13 years of your life, you and all your classmates hit educational and developmental milestones at roughly the same time. Social achievements vary more widely — like when you had your first kiss or your first serious relationship — but for the most part, you’re in the same boat.
But after high school, everyone starts hitting milestones at different times. The college Class of 2020 has already started to see this, but it becomes even clearer once you’re out of school altogether.
Some people will go straight into the workforce. Some will start college and decide it’s not for them, while others will go on to get one or more degrees. That’s all OK.
Some people will find their dream jobs right out of school. Some will job-hop for a while — maybe even years.
Some won’t be able to find work right away, even though they are trying. That’s all OK.
Some people will be married and/or have kids by the time they’re 25. Some will be engaged. Some will be dating. Some will be single. And some will still never have been kissed. That’s all OK.
Some people will have their own homes or apartments. Some will be living with roommates or spouses. Some will still be living at home with their families. That’s all OK.
Some people will have left their hometowns and never looked back. Some will have left and returned. Some will have never left at all. That’s all OK.
Some people may go on “grand adventures” and build up resumes a mile long. Some will stay close to home or live lives that seem less interesting on paper. That’s all OK.
When we grow up surrounded by media that depicts major life events happening at specific ages, we may feel like we’ve missed the boat when we haven’t accomplished the same things by that time. We can feel like we’re falling behind or moving too fast. And that feeling can be compounded when we look at people our own age and see where they are compared to us.
So the hardest lesson you will learn as a young adult is that not everyone hits “milestones” at the same time. Paths diverge and take unexpected turns. Plans don’t work out the way we intended. “To every thing there is a season” and your season is just that — yours. Each season of your life will be unique to you. So when you look around and see your peers’ lives moving at different paces, just remember: Your time will come. Be patient with yourself.
Morgantown Area News
'Friday, November 15, 2024'
