Fear and weariness is a normal part of human nature. What is around the corner is usually unknown, keeps us on our toes and preserves excitement. Admit that the uncertainty of life and the curve balls thrown our way create a pinch of fear in each of us—we just have to wait it out and take it as it comes. This is how we have always dealt with it.

As college students, we’ve reached the last plateau of our early adulthood: The last step in our school careers. For some of us, it’s time to graduate. This is not the jolt of excitement you felt your senior year of high school, this is definitely more daunting with a touch of exhilaration wrapped up in one. It’s time to move on and start living life—not as students for once—but as adults in the workforce.

So what is next? Maybe graduate school to perfect your craft or a year spent backpacking through Europe. For each of us, it’s different. We either have a plan or we haven’t quite mapped one out yet because the end of our schooling has come too soon. It hasn’t really hit us yet, we’re just waiting for the final days to come around.

Whatever the path, it all depends on your major and that hard-earned degree you’ve spent time and money on. Your biggest hope at this point is that you—sooner than later—find a job in your field so that what you’ve been studying the past four or more years was worthwhile.

The preparation for your graduation day didn’t just happen with attending class and weekend keggers, you searched for opportunities outside of school to become more marketable in the long run. There are endless amounts of unpaid internships available to the hungry and eager student. We accept these as stepping-stones, resume builders and sometimes a paid gig after school is over. Have you stopped to smell the Xerox copies and wonder if there is indeed hope for non-internship and well-paid employment in your desired field? There has to be something on Craigslist, my temporarily unemployed one.

Being a proud owner of a degree just doesn’t seem to prove enough out there in that rapidly approaching work-world. Although skill is a desired trait in an employee, there is more to prove to your future employer, because there are thousands just like you chewing at the bit for that same cubical. We all have to start somewhere. Dream jobs can come easy to some and never happen for most.

A foot-in-the-door doesn’t guarantee anything. But let’s face it; the saying “easy-come-easy-go” does apply 99.9 percent of the time. On the dark side of things, there is so much competition that it seems one has to put themselves out there before the rest and if that doesn’t work, try anyway and keep at it. Overcrowding in the workplace has occurred and we’re getting the short end of the stick.

Studies and statistics claim our generation falls under what is called a “Generation-X” category, which means we are predicted to do far worse than our parents did out in the “real world.” Scary thought. To back up these findings, it is apparent that practical jobs, like vocational careers are undesirable because practicality is out the door. Our generation is one consisting of dreamers who set standards so high for themselves that goals seem so unattainable.

The majority of us are setting ourselves up for disappointment. We’re hoping to be the next P-Diddy or fill Anna Wintour’s Manolo Blahnik’s. The reality is that this generation has big dreams and perhaps, little to show for in the end. Let’s face it, there’s only one Diddy and Ms. Wintour and they worked hard to get to the top. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it won’t happen for everyone.

This is not to say that if you don’t have the drive and skill, you cannot go far in life, but not everyone can make a name for themselves and be in the spotlight the way Lauren Conrad of The Hills did just by moving to Los Angeles with an MTV camera crew. We watch that show because her goals and aspirations are attained one twenty-minute installment at a time.

So as you turn in your last final exam and stand in line for your cap and gown, remember that this is the time for rejoice and a pat on the back. You’ve been through so much to get to this point and congratulations are well deserved. If reading this turned your stomach sour, take some Pepto. The idea is to get your head out of the clouds because the classrooms are empty and it’s the day after graduation. What’s your next move?