Secret Life of the American Post-Grad

The end of a chapter always happens more quickly than starting up the next one. It feels like your relative is rushing you out their front door after a four-week stay at their home (almost as if they didn’t enjoy you eating their food, sleeping in their beds, watching their tv, lounging around all day, staying out all night and coming home at pre-dawn, catering to you as the gracious host they are).

So, here I am, post graduation. College is done with me and I with it.

The summer has been kind so far, the sun doesn’t burn nearly as much as the rejection letters. And the breeze through my window is a lot more soothing on my skin than whatever whispers have gone behind my back. The birds still sing in the suburbs and the squirrels are more timid than their urban counterparts. All in all, life is still turning, and the days are still the same 24 hours long.

So what have I been doing with all this extra time on my hands now that I’m not studying or working you ask? Well, I’ve been looking for jobs (without much luck yet, but I’m sure there’s a purpose for this). And mostly, I’ve just been spending time with my family.

We’ve renovated my room. The walls have a fresh coat of paint. Traces of squashed bug guts are no longer to be found, childhood stickers have been scraped off and thrown away. Unwanted and unworn clothes are stowed away in trash bags to either be donated or tossed. And I painted an old dresser and nightstand a nice white. I’ve only put the first coat on so far, but after the second coat is done I think it’ll look really nice.

I’m very hands on. I like home improvement projects. I like restoring things, making something old and ugly look new. Oddly, I get a real sense of accomplishment from it.

With just a little bit of paint, this ugly thing that boys have scratched, wiped boogers on, penned and glued, can look pretty. There might be some underlying traces of its past life, but as a whole, it’s brand new. And even if it looks uglier than before, I’ll look at it with bias and say it’s the most beautiful thing because I did this with my own hands and my own time.

So, secret’s out. I don’t really go anywhere. I don’t really do anything. And even though I don’t have a job when I should due to the current economy, I’ve been enjoying my post graduation by sitting at home painting walls and furniture, clearing out spaces and reorganizing my closet. I’ve been running and exercising and enjoying this down time.

And I know I’ll have to join the real world soon, but I hope when the real world and I meet, some of this enjoyment can tag along with me.

L.

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