The Newfangled Graduation Speech

"Graduates..you should be very proud of yourself ...only 33% of the US adult population has earned a college degree....Now just in case you forgot: the economy sucks...you probably won't find a job...your going to live in your parent's basement for the next ten years...your marriage will probably fail and you owe us 100,000$ dollars... good luck and Congratulations !!!"

I've been to two graduations this year and several graduations ( including my own) last year; and the above sentiment has been uttered in some shape or fashion at all of these commencement ceremonies. I realize that these troubled times has helped to shape what I like to call " The Newfangled Graduation Speech". For the past couple of years, college deans, guest speakers and professors have tirelessly explained ( while dressed in full academic regalia of course...so dapper) to us the state of our world, and how we are going to be faced with many challenges. And while I appreciate their concerns, I don't need to be reminded of how sucky everything is: I'm reminded everyday when I fill out job applications and nothing happens. One of the biggest complaints I hear from 20-somethings, is that they have a better chance of getting struck by lightning, while holding a winning lottery ticket and tripping over a pot of gold...than finding an entry level position in their field of choice. Its hard enough for seasoned professionals with PhDs. and 15-20 years experience to find a job...how do they expect recent graduates with nothing more than a degree and a slight alcohol problem ( solely contributed to the 4+ years of partying) to find one. Ugh...out of all the problems us 20-somethings face, this has to be the most challenging. But instead of just complaining about it...I'm going to offer up some suggestions that I think might be helpful:

1) Volunteer in your field: I have been told this is a great way to get to know people in your industry and to make some positive impressions. People love getting ish for free...especially labor... so volunteer. I am proud to say that I have recently started volunteering in my field as a health educator and thus far I'm loving it (pat on the back...go me go me).

2)Go to Graduate School if you can- further your education...make yourself more marketable... plus its another opportunity to hear yet another uplifting graduation speech.

3) Join a Professional Organization- I haven't done this one yet...but I will. Joining these organizations helps you network...and they usually have a great database of companies in your field that are hiring.

4) Explore yourself (and not in a sexual way that's another topic...but trust that i will definitely go there... so stay tuned). Find out if there is anything you are good at and create a side hussle. My BFF is a wonderful designer...but she realized that clothing design is not the easiest field to break into...so she tried accessories..and now she makes the most adorable headbands in the world ( you should buy one).

5)Relax...keep trying it will get better...and remember when life gives you lemons...add some tequila...a cute guy and make some bad decisions ( but with a condom...I would be remiss in my public health duties if i didn't say that).

Ok first post... and its a good one...BarackaReggieSongz

Ok world...so a couple of days ago my wonderful cousin posted an interesting idea on Facebook. She spoke of how the perfect man would be a combination of the deliciously delectable R&B singer Trey Songz, and the incredibly intelligent President Barack Obama. He would have the smoldering sex appeal of the R&B crooner, while simultaneously being able to contribute to an intelligent conversation. So of course I had to put my two sense in... and agreed that an amalgamation of the two men would be a great idea...and we should work on that wonderful creation asap. About a day ago one of my best girlfriends also contributed to the convo...and added that the perfectly- perfect- chocolate- morsel named Reggie Bush, should be added to this equation...I immediately agreed ( I mean its Reggie Bush enough said). Sooo with the help of my girlfriends we have determined that the perfect man would be a combination of: President Obama, Trey Songz and Reggie Bush à la BarackaReggieSongz. Soo this concept of a perfect man got me thinking...what qualities do I want in a man? I mean I have the generic list in my head: tall, dark, handsome, intelligent blah blah blah...but when I am alone with my thoughts I often ask myself " Lorin what do you really really want...and more importantly , what are you going to do when or if you actually find it? The truth of the matter is, I don't really know exactly what I want. I guess I am on a constant journey to discovering what I want and need. So I guess the voyage to finding my BarackaReggieSongz continues ( good luck to me I think I'm going to need it).

Hello World ( in my British voice of course)......

Hello World...and welcome to my blog... I am super excited about starting my own blog and I have been wanting to do so for some time now. I guess I should start off by stating why I wanted to start my own blog. Well for starters this has been a challenging year for me. In the past year I have graduated from college ( "yeah me")... started graduate school ( " double yeah me ")..ended a long term relationship ( 1/2 "yeah")...engaged in some questionable relationships
(definitely no "yeah")...and a myriad of other things to be described at a later time ( stay tuned). While going through all these changes I have often turned to the guidance and advice of my wonderful friends and family. My friends and family have often told me ( sometimes not even solicited ) what they have done or would have done in my situation. But often I have wondered what other twenty-somethings : not related to me in any shape, form or fashion...have done when faced with similar changes and challenges in their lives. For this reason I have decided to write a blog, detailing the sorted and sometimes messy details of my life, and hopefully someone will feel compelled enough to share their story. And with our powers combined we can navigate this often difficult and confusing time called our twenties ( ok that was a little dramatic...but I think you get the idea...this is a sharing space). With all that said: HELLO WORLD and welcome to the sorted life of a Twenty-Something Brown Girl...