Disclaimer: The views expressed by our interviewees are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of GradSimple. We only edit these responses for clarity. All opinions remain those of the interviewee.
- Name: Sam B.
- Year Of Graduation: 2023
- College/University: North Central College, IL
- Major: Bachelor’s in Writing
What do you do for a living? Can you share what a typical day at work looks like? And, do you see a future in it/enjoy it?
I’m a content writer, though it’s a role I recently transitioned to after a year of grant writing. I would describe it as very intensive, definitely a job that tests your ability to write and research on short deadlines. It’s challenging, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to see my work out there.
Can you tell me about your job search experience after graduation? Does your job have anything to do with your degree?
The office life was definitely something I envisioned for myself throughout college, something with a consistent schedule and clear expectations that still left room to explore my passions off the clock. I never let myself get too dejected with the job search, even when I had gone through a couple hundred applications with only a few callbacks. It’s just a matter of persistence until you pique someone’s attention.
Why did you choose your undergrad major? Would you still pick this major now, if you could go back in time?
Honestly, I don’t think I realized what I was gonna do for a living until I was 17 or so. It took some encouragement from my family to pursue a degree in English, because at the time I didn’t realize there were other avenues of work besides “teacher” and “author” with that degree, narrow-minded as that sounds. And my family was right; there is work out there for English majors if you’re willing to look.
Given a second chance, I don’t think I’d do anything differently. I was very pragmatic with my college experience; I did two years of community college on a scholarship and then commuted from home every day to the institution where I got my Bachelor’s. I ended up paying off something like $15k in debts within a year of my first real job. Not all of that I attribute to hard work—some of it was just luck and privilege. But I’m proud of the education I got and what I have to show for it.
Sometimes, I catch myself daydreaming about the other possibilities. Like, what if I had gone into game design or filmmaking, something more adventurous than what I chose? It’s a fun, maybe wistful thought experiment. But I’m content with how things are. I can make a living doing something I’m good at and help people while I’m at it.
If I asked you 3 years ago, what would you think you’d be doing right now (in life/career)?
Probably something like what I’m doing now! I think I had hoped to have a novel published by now, but my younger self will have to be more patient than he expected.
What’s your biggest struggle right now?
Living with anxiety, I would say. There’s a little shadow of uncertainty that hangs over me when I envision the future, but I take it a day at a time and appreciate the good things in my life.
If money was not a factor, what would you be working on or spending more time on?
Writing novels! Full stop, period, next question.
What does a fulfilling life mean to you?
Having time for my passions and the people I love.
If we traveled 3 years into the future of your life, what would you hope we’d see?
My hope is that an onlooker would glance me up and down and think, “He seems like he’s got it together.”
What’s the biggest lesson or piece of advice you wish you’d known earlier?
You have to accept some degree of uncertainty in all things. Ruminating about what happened, what is happening, or what will be is an exercise in tying yourself in knots. In my experience, you’ll find that a nervous thought will go away faster if you put your mind toward something productive. Hang out with your friends. Consume good art. Produce good art. Clean your room. Cook a meal. And so on.
Any other thoughts you’d like to share?
Whoever needs to hear it—you’re doing alright for yourself. Don’t diminish your accomplishments. Don’t think that you’re incompetent, a screw-up, or not strong enough. Take a breather while you’re at it.
Connect With Sam:
- WordPress: @samb
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