Milestone achieved, but what's next?

This Saturday, I will walk across the stage and receive my bachelor’s degree from University of Idaho. It’s a moment I’ve anticipated for years, culminating in countless hours of hard work, late-night study sessions, and an endless cycle of deadlines. I should feel nothing but excitement for this chapter of my life to close, but instead, a strange cocktail of emotions has taken over.

Relief is there, yes. But it’s tangled up with an odd sense of apprehension.

What’s next?

The looming presence of adulthood is foreboding. Despite having plans to pursue my master’s degree in the spring, I find myself asking questions that seem to have no satisfying answers.

Am I supposed to follow the blueprint society often lays out: buy a house, go to work, attend church, get married and settle into a life of routine? Is that it? Is this the rhythm I’m meant to maintain for the rest of my life?

Don’t get me wrong, I crave stability and hope for all those milestones one day. But as I look forward, I also wonder: where’s the excitement? Where’s the spark that makes the grind worthwhile?

In undergrad, there was always something tangible to work toward — midterms, finals, group projects, internships. As much as I dreaded those things, they gave my life structure and purpose. They often sent me into a frenzy, yet there was a strange satisfaction in that chaos.

I knew exactly what was expected of me, and the sense of accomplishment after finishing a tough semester was a reward all its own.

Now, the path ahead feels less defined. There’s no syllabus for life, no academic calendar to map out the months and years. It’s thrilling, sure, but also terrifying. What if I get it wrong? What if I make the “wrong” choices and end up stuck or bored or unfulfilled?

Maybe that’s where the lesson lies.

Life, like school, isn’t about having all the answers from the start. It’s about figuring things out as you go, making mistakes, and finding joy in unexpected places. Perhaps the passion and excitement I’m seeking won’t come from achieving some monumental milestone but from embracing the smaller, everyday victories — the quiet moments of clarity, the connections I make with others, and the opportunities I create for myself.

For now, I’ll celebrate this milestone for what it is: an accomplishment worth being proud of.

And as for the rest of it?

I’ve found a house in Harrington. And I’ll be taking on the managing editor roll at the Lincoln County Record-Times.

Aside from that, I’ll take it one step at a time, just like I did with every term paper and final exam. After all, if I’ve learned anything during these past few years, it’s that the journey — chaotic, unpredictable, and sometimes overwhelming—is always worth it.

Here’s to the next chapter, whatever it may hold.

— Olivia Harnack is a soon-to-be University of Idaho graduate and the next managing editor of the Lincoln County Record-Times. For now, she can be reached via email at editor@wcgazette.com.