I started a book I completely forgot about a few days ago and it is the best thing I could have done for myself. I only stumbled upon the book because I was dangerously bored at work and HAD to find something to do…yet I was too cheap to actually buy something to do. This book was given to all graduating seniors as a parting gift. It was then subsequently thrown in the bottom of a box marked ‘miscellaneous’ to be thrown, again, in my closet full of other random junk. There it stayed, crushing under the weight of useless junk until I unearthed it quite desperately.

It’s a book that gives strategies on life after graduation, essentially a “survival guide,” in the words of the author. The main topics the book deals with are: career issues, keeping perspective, relationships and even parents…the book has promise.

The first lesson I’ve learned so far is that it is imperative to know thyself. I rarely sit back and take the time to truly analyze myself, to see “how I tick.” To see what I like, what I would like out of a career, what I like doing, to engage in an exercise the author coins “what would I do for free?”

It was eye opening to consider, first, what I like doing instead of thinking of something to do. When I thought about it, it’s common sense. How can I look for a job or career if I don’t even know what I like to do? Impossible. I mean it’s possible, but that’s a recipe for failure and stagnation. People too often think of things they are good at doing instead of thinking of the former condition. Just think, if more people started doing what they like to do instead of what they were simply good at, think of how many more happy working people there would be.

So my task at the present moment is to rediscover myself. I know what I like to do…now how can I make those things into career possibilities? I can think of jobs that utilize the same skills, thought processes, or have the same characteristics as the things I like to do. One example the author uses in his book is the statement “I like to travel.” To break down this statement, I should try asking why it is I like to travel. Is it to learn about new cultures, meet interesting people, or try different foods? By investigating myself I’ll find what I’m looking for…at least that’s the theory. How intriguing. I discovered I have a lot more investigating to do.

"Real Life Notes: Reflections and Strategies for Life After Graduation." By Kenneth Jedding