As the days are quickly leading up to my long awaited graduation date, I can’t help but overhear my peers worry about what career they will be going into, or if potential employers will be intrigued enough by their resumes to say “I want you.” I’m sitting on the other side of couch, twiddling my thumbs, thinking to myself which country do I want to go to next. I reckon I would be alright without a solid career that would make me look good on LinkedIn. Honestly, there is so much of the world to see, I would rather spend my days island hopping, running after nearly missed trains, bumming it up, and attempt to speak different languages just to get by. I recently read an article about 52 places you must go this year by The New York Times, and as I’m scrolling down and looking at the interactive pictures, I can only say that I’ve only been to less than a handful of the suggested cities, and I feel so unaccomplished. I suppose everyone craves adventure, but stability seems more attractive to people now more than ever.

I play this mind game of what most future employers ask: “where do you see yourself in 10 years?” I can say that I don’t see myself writing for a big newspaper, or doing design work for a magazine. I don’t see myself settling down in a country for more than two years. I don’t see myself wanting that husband and child that has been pushed on me by society since I was a kid. I see myself as a nomad, doing me, working that bartending or barista job that’s putting food into my system and saving up until I have enough money to move on to the next country. I guess you can say I have A.D.D. with life. People often bore me too quickly than I would like them to, and places often wear off after awhile. When I do travel, I want to see the country/continent in its entirety. I want to visit the countryside, the big metropolis cities, and the run-down side. I want to get to know the character of the country and how their political system works. I want to feel as though I am a citizen of their country. Backpacking cross the country is thrilling, but you only get to see a place for so long, before you have to catch the next transportation out. I do it, but I always make a point to go back.

I know this may sound cliché of wanting to see the whole world, but I am determined to do it. The world is infinitely filled with people to know, languages to learn, and land to explore. I see people in their twenties ready to settle down and I can’t help but wonder, why? Why are you OK with this? How is it that you’re fine with living in one city for the rest of your life? I’m in my twenties, and if I’m fortunate enough to live to a hundred, I don’t want to waste the eighty some years of my life tied down to an unstable economy and career. I realize for most people doing one job that you’ve dreamed of doing is amazing and you wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Well, that’s the difference between me and you; I would trade everything for the world.

Perhaps it’s bigotry for me to think that I can just travel the world until the day I can no longer physically function, but why should I settle? I frequently hear people talk the talk, but the walk is more of a crawl at best. It’s sad to me, but I respect those who walk the walk confidently, even if failure is imminent. I too am familiar to failure, and have embraced it every time.

— I am not one for small talk. In fact, I can’t be bothered by it. I often wonder how I made friends in the first place again. One morning at the coffee shop, I observed my coworker chatting up customers, and saw how comfortable and smooth she was. She can hold a conversation about an article of clothing for hours, and as for myself, I just won’t comment.  One friend went, “people have to talk about food in order to reel you in, that’s what I did.” I guess if you have the same stamina in food consumption as myself, then I suppose we can be friends. But it really comes down to whether or not if you’re interesting enough. Or maybe I’m not that interesting and am just ignorant of the fact. —

I’m uncertain of when I’ll decide to “settle down,” but when I do, you’ll know.