I remembered this day. After the ceremony, everyone went to a cheap izakaya to celebrate. I remembered sitting in a corner, laughing like life had already figured itself out.
But I also remembered what came after:
Half-hearted job hunting.Random applications.Settling for a company that would discard me three years later.
Now that I knew how badly things could go, I decided to reroll the dice from the start.
Step 1: Actually research the companies before applying.
Step 2: Don't reject grad school immediately.
Step 3: Learn a skill—one that's future-proof.
The version of me that existed in the 'dream' was passive. He drifted. Waited for things to happen.
This version?
He was going to make them happen.