its ok to have a normal job
I recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. It's been a month, but I am struggling with navigating my creative life post-graduation.
Yes, I am suspended in the disorienting in-between: no longer a student, not yet employed. While the pressure to secure a job is indubitable, this post isn't about unemployment but a more quiet revelation: a part of me is silently resisting the very idea of finding a job, though money is a survival necessity.
For context: 1. I love my creative endeavors. I want to write forever, draw forever, build something I can call my own. 2. STEM was expected of me as an overachieving kid. So, I don't particularly enjoy engineering, neither do I have a "dream job" in the conventional sense. The idea of a standard 9-5 engineering role has been jarring, to put it euphemistically.
But considering our ridiculously capitalistic societies and questionable job market, I'm trying not to act stupid. If you are like me, dreaming big but trying to stay grounded in reality, here is how I'm navigating these feelings:
I think it's important not to rush the process of achieving financial stability outside the confines of a traditional 9-5. For so long, I romanticized the idea of pursuing a self-owned creative career full-time, beyond a 9-5 I knew I won't care about (This was largely fueled by the constant online rhetoric of "I quit my job to pursue art full-time!").
But we sometimes fail to acknowledge that most creatives didn’t start that way. Most held ordinary jobs for years, quietly building their crafts in the margin of their lives. Their success wasn't instant - it was the result of time, sacrifice, unseen struggle. Some were supported by financial safety nets provided by family, while others had privileges not openly discussed online. No two journeys are the same, so comparison only obscures this reality.
For most of creatives, financial stability comes first, before being able to live off the creative path. While not fond of the 9-5 grind, I’m recognizing the necessity of starting somewhere. I need a stable paycheck for now, and, most importantly, I need to fund my creative projects and protect this passion.
It’s okay to have a normal job that isn't your calling for now, to work during the day and create at night. It's okay not to chase an idealized version of "success" that doesn't leave room for survival. My journey might take longer than the accomplished creatives I envied for so long. It might not resemble anyone else's, but, as long as I keep believing, I know I will get there.