- I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, with no job lined up.
- It took me a full year to decide what direction my life should take, after which I purchased a one-way ticket to Italy.
- During my travels, I began freelancing as a writer and have since developed it into a full-fledged career.
About five years ago, I completed my graduation from
UNC-Chapel Hill
However, it lacked a festive atmosphere. Due to the pandemic, our live graduation ceremony was cancelled. On graduation day, my roommate and I stayed in our college apartment with my family, reflecting on the past four years and imagining how an ordinary commencement might have felt.
My initial graduate school plan was to undertake
gap year
To journey across Southeast Asia, my initial destination would have been Thailand, where I had arranged both flights and Airbnb accommodations. However, this plan fell through, leading me to utilize my savings instead to relocate to a neighboring city and investigate various professional avenues.
I love working with people, so I took a real estate course. I enjoyed it, but I never took the exam because I could tell it wasn’t the right fit. I also
applied for jobs
in the homeless services field, where I had worked throughout college. Despite my experience and network, I didn’t even get an interview. At the time, this was soul-crushing.
Throughout that year, I was experiencing
anxiety and depression
. It felt like I had no real purpose or clear path for the future, which I had never experienced before. My lease on my apartment was ending, and the thought of renewing felt impossible. I was deeply unhappy, and my parents could feel it.
My mother recommended that I reconsider my travel plans as a digital nomad, which is precisely what I decided to do.
I purchased a single journey ticket to Italy.
In just a month, I managed to sell nearly everything I owned — including my sofa, mattress, kitchenware, outdoor gear, and art pieces. A handful of sentimental items and valuable possessions were kept in storage at my folks’ place. Afterward, I purchased a one-way flight to Italy.
I stuffed all of my leftover belongings into a single suitcase, placed my cat, Isabelle, in a carrier, and left without glancing backward.
I spent my first month in
Turin, Italy,
and fell in love with the idea of full-time travel. I then spent five weeks in Croatia, some time in Paris and Portugal, and returned to Italy for the fall. At this point, I was blowing through my savings. I loved traveling, but I needed an income to keep it sustainable.
I made my own job
I was terrified at the thought of moving back to the US, so I did everything possible to continue my travel passion. The last thing I wanted was a
full-time job
with time zone constraints, so I needed to find a way to work for myself.
To my friends and family, my idea of full-time travel was unheard of and a story worth telling. I’d been told I was a decent writer, so with some encouragement, I began documenting my journey and exploring writing as a
career path
.
I published a few articles on Medium to get a portfolio and then used that to build my Upwork profile in January 2022. I accepted any gig I could get my hands on to further build out my profile, and slowly but surely, I started working with larger clients.
After building a strong portfolio and gaining more experience, I was able to approach prominent publications directly. Each new byline, along with extensive networking, made it simpler to secure regular clients who allowed me to share stories about my travels and adventures.
credit cards
.
I experienced rapid growth. Even though this development spanned several years, it seemed like all my aspirations were fulfilled instantaneously.
Prospering amidst ambiguity 3 years hence
Being overwhelmed by ambiguity during my initial year after graduating from college equipped me to flourish amidst uncertainty merely a few years thereafter.
digital nomad
I’m uncertain about my living situation in a few months, and since I work as a freelance writer, both my schedule and clientele tend to fluctuate regularly.
If someone had spoken with me back in late 2020, I was solely focused on achieving some form of stability. Seeing how many of my peers found employment and relocated across various parts of the nation left me feeling inadequate for still being in the same spot without making progress towards anything significant.
Now, I view adaptability as an open door that cannot be shut, offering countless opportunities for how I spend my days, months, years, and ultimately my life. I am not confined to a fixed schedule.
desk job
I enjoy this because it lets me express myself creatively, share stories from my travels, and build connections with freelance professionals globally.
These professional and life choices continue to present difficulties, yet they have shaped who I am today.
If you liked this tale, make sure to follow
Business Sazua.com
on MSN.
