Comparing career paths at every alumni meetup.
COMPARING CAREER PATHS AT EVERY ALUMNI MEETUP.
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We spent years on hallowed grounds, immersed in intellectual rigor, surrounded by the brightest minds. The unspoken promise was a clear, upward trajectory. Then graduation hit. The transition from campus to career is a weird, disorienting blur nobody truly warned us about. We expected to conquer the world, only to find it doesn't always care about our GPA or prestigious extracurriculars. Sometimes, the "dream job" is a stepping stone, or not even in the field we envisioned.
It's a strange reality when your Ivy friends land diverse roles: some in traditional powerhouses, others starting ventures, and some in jobs frankly never discussed on campus. Ivy friends, non-Ivy jobs. This isn't judgment, but an observation of the beautiful, messy truth: success isn't a singular path. Yet, the internal monologue often screams, "Am I doing enough? Am I where I should be?" seeing a former classmate’s perfectly curated LinkedIn profile.
This internal comparison amplifies at every alumni meetup. That casual "What are you up to?" often feels like an interrogation, a silent scorecard of who's "winning." We all do it: asking and answering with a polished, slightly exaggerated version of our professional lives. But perhaps it's time to shift the narrative. Instead of comparing career paths, let's share the authentic journey, unexpected pivots, lessons learned, and human experiences behind the titles. We're all figuring it out; shared vulnerability is far more valuable than perceived status. Embrace the weirdness; you're not alone.
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