This is a common phrase in those romantic movies, when the handsome guy, super interested in the beautiful woman, wants to buy her dinner after work. “So… What are you doing after?” Well, I think we can agree that real life is way more complex, and I have been hearing this expression in a totally different context, usually right after “When are you going to graduate?” What… Am I doing… After… My PhD… While I am processing those words, the sleepy (until then) butterflies in my stomach start to fly like crazy, and anxiety takes over. Truth be told, I believe we all have some kind of plan in the back of our minds, but (especially with the current pandemic) everything seems so uncertain. What if my non-foolproof plan doesn’t work out? What am I going to do? Is this the right thing for me right now? Is that plan achievable? Wait, do I have a plan at all?
Some of us might know exactly what to do, when, and how, while some of us could still be struggling with the whole important decision process (which is not easy, nor does it have to be). Our society demands too much of us. Study, work, earn money, buy a house, have children, be part of that happy family in the TV advertising. A piece of cake! Your friends are all over social media living the dream with their amazing jobs; your family is there rooting for your success, and you’re here, undecided, filling a chart with the pros and cons of your plan, or trying to find one. And you know what? It’s OK. It’s OK not to know, and it’s OK to say you don’t know. Thankfully, we are all different people, with different ways of thinking, different perspectives, different plans, different music tastes… and this is beautiful! All of this diversity is what makes our world so rich and so full of new experiences to grow, learn, and become better human beings. What works for me might not work for you at all. There’s always time and opportunity to change, go after your dreams and do what you believe and feel is best for you. I left the word “feel” in bold because I believe this “feeling” plays a super important role in the process.
Almost 4 years ago, I never thought I’d be where I am today: on an island in Canada, after seeing the craziest snowstorm of my life (and whales!), in the process of finishing my PhD. Before then, I kind of knew what I wanted to do, but with no idea at all how to get there. I had done the TOEFL (English placement test) because I wanted to study Green Chemistry abroad. However, was this possible? Was this even achievable? I also remember when I saw Fran Kerton (now my supervisor) on MUN’s website. It might seem cliché, but I had the “feeling” – I knew it was her. Of course, we need to be prepared for the opportunities we (maybe?) want to pursue after our graduate studies, but this inexplicable “feeling” is something I keep in mind and trust.
I know it’s hard sometimes to remind ourselves that we are doing the right thing by choosing something we are unsure of, or even by trying to find things to choose from. But hey, we have been working so hard, for so long! We have acquired the most extensive and diverse set of skills during our graduate program, and we are ready for what’s about to come our way! Be gentle to yourself, trust the “feeling”, and do what you believe in. What’s meant to be ours, no one can take away from us.
So, what are you doing after (this post)?
~Juliana