Graduating

In honor of those who graduated this month, I thought I would take the time to make their graduation about me—who graduated a year ago. My only regret is not savoring my last summer vacation. Since I started my big-girl job before school ended, I didn’t know the summer before senior year would be my last. My heart goes out to any graduates who have their job locked down already. The feeling of security after being thrust into the “real world” is great but at what cost… As a girl who works—a working girl, if you will—I do still feel like a kid. I like to imagine that everyone who emails me is at least 35 years old and that they have no idea they’re talking to someone who is still on their parent’s health insurance and vision insurance… and dental, I think. Regardless, I surely wasn’t born to work.

There are three work options that I am aware of, and all of them seem dreadful. (1) You can work for someone else, (2) you can be your own boss—whatever that means—or (3) be a cog in the machine, where you’re not quite the Final Boss but still get to tell other people what to do. And of course, the fourth mystery thing, (4) not working. “But Maya, it’s not work if you’re doing what you love.” Maybe, but it becomes work and I’ll keep my interests separate from my income. Now one last thing and then I swear to god I’ll shut up about this forever, I don’t actually hate my job, I just hate working.