The Dithering of a District Diva

*On Feature Fridays new writers guest blog about faith and life. Today’s guest blogger is Zeena Garnett. Keep up with her work at “Lifeofthecollegegraduate.wordpress.com.” Show her some love in the comments!*

Friday May 6, 2011, I can remember like it was yesterday. The day I had been waiting for practically my whole life. Dressed in a black cap, gown and heels, a maroon and gold hood draped neatly around my small frame, I carefully crossed the stage at the Forum in Harrisburg to receive my Bachelor’s Degree in Corporate Communications–with honors, might I add.

The frustrations I had felt earlier in the day had passed away and a smile had spread across my face. This moment was shared with friends, family, fellow colleagues, and professors who were witnesses to my journey. This was a proud moment for both me and family as I was one of the first to complete such a task. There was this image in my head of what my life would be like and the only thing that was missing was me!      A nice apartment in Center City or the Philadelphia Suburbs where I would host lavish cocktail parties for my friends, a great set of wheels to take me to my dream job at a magazine company or television station with my own office, overlooking a magnificent view.

Fast forward to the present, nearly three years later. That nice apartment I dreamed of turned out to be a modest studio in West Philadelphia. No great set of wheels either, unless that includes the Market-Frankford El (public transportation) that I caught every morning which was always packed to capacity, similar to sardines in a can. Oh, and let’s not forget that dream job and office that overlooked a magnificent view, cause that didn’t happen either. Most of my time was spent juggling two jobs, neither one related to my field of study, just to pay the bills. Needless to say, I would’ve been thankful for a cubicle!

As I looked around, I saw my peers succeeding in their fields, while I was stuck saying “It’s a great day at KFC! May I take your order?” So not what I had envisioned as a Communications graduate. Although I was happy for them, I often wondered, What about me? I had maintained no less than a 3.0 GPA my entire college experience, was active in several extra- curricular activities and had established a rapport among staff and faculty members. The word slacker was so foreign to me, but that’s how I had begun to feel. Maybe I wasn’t as smart as I thought. Maybe my grades could have been better. So much doubt had begun to plague my mind. Then something happened…

I had received a call for an interview! Then another…then another… and another! God was truly answering my prayers! This process had continued until it became rather exhausting. I would land the interview, go all out and purchase the perfect outfit, practice everything from my walk, handshake and even responses to common interview statements like So, tell me a little about yourself. The interview would go well and I would be sent on my way with my hopes as high as the sky, never to hear anything again, and when I did hear something, it was only to tell me that I had not been selected for the job. College definitely had not prepared me for this.

My whole life, I was told to get an education. Education plus degree equals better life, right? But the equation isn’t that simple. We live in a society that thrives on instant gratification. When something doesn’t happen as fast as we think it should, we give up. We need answers right away. High speed internet, drive thru, microwave! We hate waiting. But just because something doesn’t happen right away, doesn’t mean it never will. (Abraham and Sarah did not have their son Isaac until they were way past child bearing age! Genesis 21:1-7) Just as I had to prove myself in college, I had to do the same in the real world. I am learning what college didn’t teach me. College didn’t teach me how to deal with the rejection when your dreams aren’t realized right away. They’re job is to sell a dream. It’s your job to make that dream come true.

Today, I still don’t have that fancy apartment, sweet ride, or dream job with an office overlooking a magnificent view. I am juggling two jobs with a place of my own, an accomplishment not many people my age can say they’ve done. I am also an avid blogger, sharing my many experiences with others. I take my frustrations and channel it into what I really enjoy doing, writing. Every day is not easy, nor do I expect it to be but I do believe God is preparing me for something great so I will be patient as He equips me to handle whatever task that He places before me.

If you’d like to submit a guest blog for Feature Fridays, please email diva AT districtdiva.com.

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