It’s Tuesday which means it’s shopping in Cozumel day! I asked someone I consider to be a close friend to guest post for me today. Amber is one of the busiest women I know and she has been a godsend for me during my years as a journalism student. She graduated a year ago with her journalism degree and has made her mark in the marketing field over the past year. Her blog is one of my must reads and I love how seamlessly she incorporates all facets of her life – from healthy living to career to her personal life. Enjoy her post and please check out her blog!

 

When Stephany asked me to guest post I really had no idea what I would write about. But then I thought about where Stephany is in her life right now – just graduated college and heading on a fabulous trip! I was in the same place exactly one year ago and looking back now I can’t believe how much my life sure has changed in the last year.

When I finished university I went on a 3-week backpacking trip around Europe with my then boyfriend (now fiance). I guess it was our ‘last big haul’ before entering the working world. I had a job (that I’d already been interning at for a year) waiting for me when I got back from my trip and I started as a full-time, salaried employee in the marketing and communications world on June 1, 2010.

My first year after college has been interesting to say the least! Here are a few of the things I’ve realized about living in the “real world” (when I was still in college I HATED it when people used that term. And, just for the record, I totally think college counts as the real world!):

1. Time

Sure, being in college/university is a busy time. So much stress over papers, homework, tests etc. But it’s a different kind of time suck. A kind of time suck where you can decide what to do, when. Working full-time is not like that at all. You have to “punch in” and put in your time five days a week, and for most of the day. Luckily, I really love my job so I don’t mind, but I definitely have a lot less free time than before.

2. Being Social

During my bratty teenage years I used to say super bratty things to my mom like “why are you SOOOOO tired anyways, all you do is sit at a desk all day” – let me just take a minute to go back and slap my 15-year-old self. Because sitting at a desk all day IS tiring. It’s so mentally tiring. In my job I am busy for 8+ hours every single day. There are emails to be answered, phone calls to be made, and millions of to-do’s to tackle. My brain is ON for all that time so by the end of a work day I am exhausted. In college I wouldn’t even blink an eye about going out for dinner or drinks during the week. Now it’s not as appealing as it once was. All I want to do after a long work day is curl up on the couch and watch TV with a glass of wine.

3. Money

I always joke that I don’t have more money now that I’m done college – I just have more bills! My fiance and I recently bought our first house and while it was a monumental purchase and I’m so, so excited about it (and love it) it also means a lot of money is coming out of our accounts. Every single month. For the next 35 years. It’s a bit of a scary thought when you put it that way!

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Honestly though, despite all these things, I am still much happier with my life now than when I was in college and wouldn’t trade it for the world. College is fun for awhile but after four years I was ready to be done with it! While the first year after college has been different, expensive and a bit challenging it’s also been a blast and one of the best years ever. Can’t wait to see what the next one brings!

What was your first year after college/university like?

Today is an exciting day for me! It is the first stop on my cruise and I’ll be snorkeling and swimming with sting rays in the Cayman Islands! I asked someone I consider to be one of my best friends to guest post for me and you are in for a treat. Sam and I began reading each other’s blogs a while back and a few months ago began e-mailing one another constantly. She is an amazing writer and you need to be reading her blog. She may not post frequently, but when she does, it is so worth the wait. Enjoy her post today! (Oh, and go wish her a happy anniversary! She celebrates 2 years with her husband today.)

 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation, either good or bad, that took you completely by surprise? A situation in which you never thought you would find yourself? Maybe you considered it fate and accepted it as the road you were meant to take, or perhaps you turned to your faith and attributed it to the work of God. Maybe you leapt for joy and considered it a stroke of pure luck, or perhaps you wallowed in frustration and wondered with self-pity, “Why did this happen to me?”

I’m no stranger to this type of situation, for life never fails to hurl me in directions I never anticipated. Sometimes, what I want falls into my lap with ease, but most often, circumstances beyond my control send my best-laid plans into disarray. Suddenly, something that I considered “a sure thing” doesn’t pan out and something that “wasn’t supposed to happen” happens. Rarely does life happen the way I imagined it would, but a recent look back on the past five years made me realize that the things I value the most came unexpectedly when I was busy focusing on other plans. All the little detours and “bumps in the road” that I’ve experienced – incidents that seemed dire and hopeless at the time – ended up steering me in new directions that brought amazing things to my life.

Five years ago, I was freshly graduated from college with a degree in journalism, back to living under the comfort of my parents’ roof, full of ambition at the prospect of beginning a career, and fully committed to a long distance relationship. From graduation day forward, I knew that life was no longer perfectly laid out, paid for, and planned for me, and as an avid planner, walking into the unknown was a little daunting. Yet, I was so proud of what I’d accomplished, and I was eager to begin turning my dreams into reality and my goals into achievements.

If I’d been asked on graduation day where I thought the next five years would take me, I would have babbled off a perfectly detailed plan in which my life would progress in a succinct, logical flow. I surely thought that within five years’ time, I’d have survived the turbulence of job searching, established a respectable career in the communications field, and be en route to climbing my way up the ladder of success. As a lifelong writer, I thought that I’d be an avid freelance writer in my spare time, with many articles and stories published and maybe a novel in the works. I also thought that my boyfriend Leo and I would have long figured out a way to put the distance to rest.

Instead, I was unleashed in the real world – a place where changes can sideswipe a girl when she’s not looking and well-thought plans don’t always go as intended.

Since graduation, I’ve held two full-time jobs, neither of which led to a full-fledged, rewarding career. I’ve struggled with my relationship with writing, drifting in and out of motivation and failing to find rewarding freelancing opportunities. After six grueling years of long distance, Leo was accepted into the Navy, providing us with the opportunity to marry and start a life together as a Sailor and a military spouse. We left our respective families and jobs, moved to our first duty station, and turned our first house into a home. Currently biding my time as a housewife, I’ve continued to contemplate various career paths, asking myself countless times, “What do I want to do? What am I meant to do?” in an effort to discern my purpose in life. After months of soul-searching that yielded no clear answer, God made a decision for me when I unexpectedly found myself pregnant with our first child. Starting a family was still a few years away in my mind, but after reality sunk in, I became over-the-moon excited to meet my little man. I have a feeling that my call to motherhood will prove to be the most rewarding job I’ll ever have.

There’s so much more to life (and so much more I want out of life) than I realized back when I was that ambitious, career-oriented girl on her graduation day. I’ll never give up the dream of one day seeing my name in print and finding a career that’s my perfect fit, but for now, my priority is my growing family and writing shall remain my beloved hobby. I never imagined that in five years’ time, I’d be a military spouse, a soon-to-be mother, and a bit directionless in regard to a career, but I honestly couldn’t be happier with the path my life has taken.

Where has life taken you in the past five years? Are you living the life you thought you would?

Last month, I hosted my first-ever giveaway on the blog which was incredibly exciting for me. So when CSN Stores approached me to do a giveaway with their company, I jumped at the opportunity! This month, you have a chance to win a $55 gift certificate to CSN Stores. And with their vast array of stores and products, there is really something for everyone.

Check it out!

It’s really so easy to find so many things to buy from CSN. They have 200+ stores, including luggage stores which quickly caught my eye. I realized after my trip to Orlando that I desperately need new luggage. It took us about 3 trips to get from the hotel to the car so this one is perfect! It has so much space and is pretty, too!

Then again, I firmly believe everyone should own a Crock-Pot. There’s is nothing like chicken made in a Crock-Pot! It makes cooking so simple and so easy, but you’re still getting a yummy meal!

You could always show your dog some love with a new bed. This one is perfect for my little cuddlebug!

There are multiple ways to enter! (Leave 1 comment per entry)

1. Let me know what you would buy with a gift certificate to CSNStores.com! (1 entry)
2. Tweet about the giveaway. (1 entry)
3. Like “Stephany Writes” on Facebook and leave a comment saying you did. (1 entry)

This giveaway is open until Sunday, January 23rd at 7pm EST. The winner will be chosen via Random.org and will be announced on Monday, January 24. You have 48 hours to contact me via e-mail after the winner is announced, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

Challenge

If I were to sum up 2010 in one word, it would be this one. This has been a year rife with challenges, big and small. From designing an entire magazine to dealing with my grandma’s cancer diagnosis to ending the relationship with my father, it hasn’t been easy. I have been challenged. I have been tested. It has been a rollercoaster of a year but I can firmly say that I won. I beat the challenges. I was tested and I succeeded. It wasn’t easy. I doubted myself again and again and again. I fought it. But I have shown myself how strong I am. While I may not believe in myself, I am getting there. This year has helped me to see what I am capable of.

Risk

I want 2011 to be the year of risks. My post yesterday talked a lot about how I’m shutting myself off from risks because I’m too afraid I don’t have what it takes. I want this thinking to stop. I want to stop thinking I can’t do something and instead believe in myself. Fear and anxiety has had a stronghold over my life for the past few years and it’s time to break free. I know there’s a confident, vibrant woman inside of me and she’s so ready to be unleashed.

I’m writing this post for reverb10, an online initiative to reflect on this past year and manifest on what’s to come in the next year. Daily prompts can be found here.