Done With Finger Painting - On To World Changing

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I think it's some sort of syndrome that all 20-somethings must go through at one point or another post college graduation. It's that initial shock and realization that your life can no longer revolve around Facebook friendships and Twitter updates.  The desire to create a name for yourself, to prove that the $100K you (or your parents) just spent on a 4-year degree wasn't a complete waste of time and money.  That moment you begin to understand that you are no longer the only one who matters in the world, and that there are far bigger issues to tackle than the latest and greatest on You Tube. The need for some sort of recognition or stamp of approval that you have made it and are actively using your education and experiences to better the world as you know it.  

Like many of my peers, I never thought that I would fall victim to this syndrome, because up until a few months ago I had a 'plan.' And I have always been taught that if you have a plan and are prepared for the next step than you will succeed.  I'm sure I had some version of the perfect American dream painted in my head that allowed me to make a difference in the lives of others, all the while still having that dream job, husband and family. A plan to save the world all in one clean sweep. 

Being part of the 'trophy generation' where everyone is a winner and everyone gets a pat on the back for their participation; it is a rude awakening when even though you have jumped through all the hoops, and taken part in every step of the plan, you still come up short. We have been told our entire lives that if you get good grades, participate in extra-curriculars, volunteer at local charities and go to college, that you would be paving the road to success; for that 'perfect plan' you've been dreaming about.  However, when you are competing with the daunting statistic of only 19% of 2009 college graduates who applied for jobs actually securing one by graduation day, that perfectly paved road is not so smooth anymore. 

There are thousands of blogs, webinars, online chats etc. trying to reach out to Generation Y about everything from,  "Tweeting Your Way to the Top" to "Turning Your 20 hour Internship Into a 40 Hour Career." But at what point does having a plan become irrelevant and no longer lead to success? 

I've been reading several blogs lately authored by my fellow Gen-Y'ers about how they are trying to make a difference in the world, and what they are doing to make their voices stand out amongst all the clutter. There are several bloggers who appear in my Google Reader every morning writing about how they've taken their passion for a specific cause and through their knowledge of social media, were able to turn it into a career that they could have never dreamed possible. Many of these bloggers are being forced to create a place in the market for themselves and in turn are finding that there is a lot more opportunity to be had underneath the surface.   

Lately, I've been trying to figure out what it is I can take away from my time here in Australia that will make it all worthwhile. I know that being here in itself is worthwhile, meeting new people, living outside my comfort zone and trying to figure it all out by myself is something to cherish all on its own. However, I feel like I could do that anywhere in the world; I could have gone and lived in Middle America for 12-months and surely at some point felt out of my comfort zone - what is so special about Australia? I have to believe that there is something else that I need to learn or do while I'm here that I can take forward and use toward my future. 

I haven't decided what it is yet that makes this experience different than any other change I have encountered in my life; nor have I come up with a solution to what I am supposed to be taking away from it all. But I do know that there is something bigger I need to achieve while I'm here. 

During that past 6 weeks, I have come to understand that living in the 'right now' is much more fulfilling and offers much more opportunity than I probably realize. I have spent a lot of time planning my future, mapping out what comes next in the equation and preparing myself for the following step; but many times that makes it all too easy to forget about the potential of this very moment. 

Now what this all means to me in the grand scheme of things - I have no idea. BUT what I do know is that all of this has been swirling around in my head for the past 48 hours, as I lay all hopped up on Codeine and taking in way too many episodes of Entourage and Snicker bars.