If there was ever one warning I would have loved to have before I grew up, it would have been: it is going to be tough. When I was young, I was that starry-eyed kid with steadfast determination for whatever I wanted to be at the time: designer, photographer, actress. Every new idea for my future was immensely interesting and deserved the utmost attention. But as I grow up, I find that this determination hides away, too scared to hold onto anything because now I have to think of something five-year-old me never had to consider: the job market.

There is a suffocating feeling that swallows me whole when I think about the future. Every time I feel like I am doing too much while simultaneously being 10 steps behind everyone else.

The quarter-life crisis arrives earlier than expected. AI, the economy and global news do not create a very inviting environment for young people, and even though we may not talk about it, we feel it. We feel it every time we see more troubling news, every time AI improves, every time we talk about what the future has in store for us.

And yes, this uncertainty may be paralyzing. But it does not have to be permanent. The fear is real, and so are the possibilities. Even within all the unknown that lies beyond the confines of the classroom, new paths are emerging. Although it may feel overwhelming to look into the sea of possibilities, to turn to the next chapter, there are amazing things to be discovered. Nihilism in our day and age may feel all too powerful in its pull, but the flowers blossoming all around as spring comes to greet us show that there is always beauty waiting for us after the dark.

You deserve to look forward to what comes next. It is undeniably tough, but it is also incredible to see that so much of the story is still unwritten. So take a breath and do it scared. Apply for that opportunity, even if you believe you are not ready. Stick to your path, even if it was not the original plan. Be determined and attentive to what comes next in your story. Come up for air and dive back into the possibilities. You can do it.