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Parents just don't understand!
I don't know what to say or do. I graduated college a few months ago, and now my parents are on my back about doing something with my life, as they like to put it. I got in a huge fight with them over this, and I have ZERO support from them.
-what I want: job/internship in magazines to gain experience, and then eventually go to grad school.
-what they want: get a job, and apply to grad school at the same time.
I want to get job experience BEFORE I apply to grad school (journalism), but that is something they absolutely fail to understand. I don't know what to tell them...it's as though every chance they get, they're on my back about this.
I had a terrible day thinking about it, and it always makes me feel like complete crap.
What should I do?
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Maybe give some free advice about: Families?
You said it right; Parents just dont understand. You have your own ideas and thoughts and even your own plan, which is all good but parents start our planning for us once you hit grade school and what parent wants to be wrong or not followed.
They may not like what you have planned for your life but you're already on the right track since you have a plan and know what you want to do.
Definitely hear them out and decipher if they had any advice that you could follow that may make things easier for you but in the end, you are in control over your life. You may find a way to amaze them and show them your dream from your own actions and making it happen.
Without support many things are more difficult to accomplish but not impossible. Show them you have what it takes to succeed and they will soon be right behind you once they see how invested you are in doing what needs to be done for yourself.
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Apply to grad school. Seriously.
There are one of two things that could happen
1.) You wont get accepted, probably because they want you to have more workplace experience.
2.) You will get accepted, you'll find out in a few months and you will have that much more time to look for the intership you want and deal with what comes of the application when it happens.
All the while encourage your parents to see your workplace education as a form of education, because that is what it is. Look at grad schools, and realize how many wont even look at your application until you have at least 2 years of work experience behind you.
There is no harm in applying, learning how that works and applying agian next year, or in two years. In fact, it will reflect possitively on you if you applied before, taken thier input, and apply agian later.
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Let's look at your perspective first. Get experience, then go to grad school. Now in my opinion that is not a horrible idea and often is necessary in many fields. But do you have a deadline as for when you will begin grad school? Have you already looked at grad programs? Do you know what your grad degree will be in? If the answer to one or more of those questions is no then I suspect that is what worries your parents. They may feel that if you start working, you'll never return to school. I know you're thinking that won't happen, but the truth is it does happen to many people. I know a lot of 20somethings that always said they would go to grad school and the next thing you know 5 years have past and they haven't even filled out an application. By then they've racked up more bills/debt and may already be starting a family. All of those things make it even harder to go back to school.
You could very well be different and you need to help your parents see that. Research grad programs now while you're doing your job/internship. Keep them in the loop about where you want to go and when you're wanting to start. Also keep in mind that you could apply to grad school now and opt to defer for a year. That way you could enjoy your job/internship for a year and know that you're already accepted into the grad program of your choice. You'll have experience under your belt and your parents will breathe easier.
Lastly, if your parents didn't support you they wouldn't discuss your future with you at all. They're bringing it up because they do care about you and they want the best for you. Sure they may not be using the best words, tone, or timing, but the fact that they're involved at all tells you they are there for you.
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Having recently graduated college myself, I can say your parents are probably right. Unless you are getting amazing pay from an internship, you are going to need some SERIOUS help financially for grad school seeing as financial aid decreases significantly for graduate school. You won't get nearly as much for tuition as an undergrad would.
Getting a job will give you experience, the same experience, that an internship would offer and you will also get a salary and benefits. Benefits are key seeing as your parents cover will expire after a certain amount of time after you graduate. Not to mention, internships in such an industry are extremely high demand and chances are you will need some sort of experience to get the internship itself.
I don't know if you plan on living with your parents or if you are living on your own or what the situation is, but chances are you will run into money issues unless you have a full-time job to support yourself. I plan on doing grad school myself, but I am waiting until I am somewhat financially stable before I do. It is the only logical thing I could do for a number of reasons.
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