It’s the reason we come to college. We graduate high school and pursue a degree in higher education because we believe it will help us get the job we want.

The facade that college is just a giant party is just that — a facade. Surely, if you were a prospective student looking to party, there’s a much less expensive way to do it. The large sum of money we pay for school is just a symbol of commitment and dedication to our education. We want to learn, and though tuition is a hefty cost that we young adults are used to encountering, we know that it’s an investment in our future. We know that we can earn that money back from the job we acquire by means of a liberal arts education. The greater investment we make, the greater the outcome.

However, there is this tricky middle ground we have to cross before we get to the self-satisfying career and payout to make us whole again. It’s the job search.

Searching for jobs is single-handedly the most stressful thing I’ve ever done. There’s this pressure that whatever you pick, it has to be perfect for you, and there is the uncertainty that anyone will want what you have to offer. Sure, I’ve got my ace education and great looks going for me, but that only goes so far.

You thought looking for colleges was stressful? Looking for a school wasn’t too bad. Being on honor roll in high school is like selling your name to every college in the tri-state area. I considered hundreds from California to Massachusetts, I visited dozens from Florida to Philly, and I applied to one. Don’t tell my mom that; she’d kill me. But when you find the right fit, you know. That’s how it was for me. I came to Gannon and it felt like home. Not my home where I have a younger sister always needing a ride, or a little brother who might as well be the dog for the number of times he asks to play catch — this home felt right because it felt like the place I needed to be.

I guess I’m just looking for a job that makes me feel the same way. Until then, I’m spending countless hours in the Center for Career Development and Employment Services getting resume consultation, advice from the writing center, and basically anything else they’ll give me.

I can’t be sure how long it is until I find the job that feels like where I need to be, but I’m investing everything I can into myself to make sure I’m ready when that day comes.