Where Do I Want to be in 10 Years

I don't know who is currently reading my blog (hi), but to be honest at one point or another I think anyone can relate to what I’m writing about today.

I'm in my last semester of college (ish? We’ll get into it.) and I have never felt more uncertain and unsure of my future. I’m graduating this may with my first degree (Bachelors in Textiles, Apparel and Merchandising, Merchandising Concentration, Business Minor. Geaux Tigers.) I’m currently starting on my second degree (Mass Communication- Digital Advertising Concentration) which I will graduate with in May 2025. I did not expect to be a 5th year, or frankly, still in Louisiana. 

I think what this all stems from is my Sophomore year career planning class. I couldn’t tell you why, but I took that class to heart. My career, and my life after college has always been something I was serious about, even at 15. This class helped us create a five-year plan and the  steps we would take in order to achieve it. Now don’t get me wrong, this was great and so helpful, but I genuinely think I'm so lost because my five years are up. Or you know… because I'm at the point that everyone gets to right before they graduate… where they are questioning life… or maybe this is adulthood? Will the rest of my life be like this? Pls drop a comment if you’re older than me (21 currently) reassuring me it won't always be like this. (or will it?). 

Anyway, My first assignment for my Media Writing class (how fun, maybe my blog posts will get better! Maybe I'll stop using parentheses!) asked me where I want to be in 10 years. Disclaimer: this is a 2000 level class typically taken by freshman and sophmores. This is severely less scary of a question for that demographic, but who knows maybe not. 

Fifteen year old me (pictured right... she thought she ate with that outfit XD) would have had this answer very meticulously planned out, as I am a huge planner. 21 year old me is struggling to find that same clarity. 

I feel like in our 20s, and maybe in life, we want to be so many different, beautiful things. I want to travel the world, I want to visit all 50 states (maybe even twice!), I want to fall in love and get married, I want to write, create, inspire, I want to be a businesswoman, I want to learn, I want to be a good friend, a good sister, a good daughter, I want to experience life and all of its beautiful, and all of its ugly. And that's just before I'm thirty! I could go on for days about everything I want to do before I die because all I want is to LIVE and EXPERIENCE. 

But “let's be realistic” (I can’t go a week without being told this). I don’t know how I'm going to do this. I just know when I feel so strongly, like the way I do about what I want my future life to be, there will not be a single “No” taken. So in 10 years? What do I want?

I want to move to New York City. I’ve said this since I was 12, if not sooner. Sure everyone has said that at one point in their life, but I feel like I can be my truest form of self there. I come from a small town where everyone seems to pay attention to everything, talk about everyone's business and keep tabs on what's going on in who’s life (even if they have spoken to them all of 3 times. It's weird.) I want to be nobody, yet everything to somebody. I got a taste of this in Hawai’i. It was my first chance to fully start over. I knew no one going there. I was able to surround myself with those who I truly connected with on a deeper level than just knowing them for years, or going to school with them, but everyone else, complete strangers. It was so refreshing.

I want to have a job and a life I'm passionate about. I need to have a successful, flourishing career. Bottom line that's it., I've worked too hard not to. This originally consisted of my desire to become a stylist. And genuinely I think that's still what I want to do, but I want to wear so many hats, I want to get down and dirty, I want to do it all. I would love to be a freelance writer for a fabulous magazines (hi Cosmo). I want to style for Rolling Stone. I would love to produce a show (or two) at NYFW. I want to be a part of costuming for movies. Maybe even have some private styling clients of my own. I think styling for the NBA would be so sick, maybe even the NHL. But in 10 years, I'm sure I will have dabbled in so many roles, I could even be CEO or Creative Director of a company. 

I love to travel and I want to continue doing that. I've really expanded my horizons in college (since turning 20, how cute) and I want this decade of my life to be lived in and cultured.) I adore Europe and want to live there further down the line. In the meantime, I need to see all of the places! There is so much beauty in the world, I need to experience it all and see all the things. Exploring more of the South, the Northeast, the West, hell, even all the way to North and South Dakota. Travel blogging might just be my next adventure! I’ll get on it. 

I've changed a lot over the past four months and i'm sure I'll change even more by then. I think to summarize it all I truly just want to be surrounded by people I love, doing what I love.

In 10 years I'll be 31. Wow. I think this might be a blog topic I’ll continue to update, because there is so much more I dream of doing. But this is all I can think of for now. 

What about you? I want to hear what you want to do in 5 years, or in 10 years. Or if you're feeling lost as well, what are you doing tomorrow? Our beautiful world is out there, it’s up to you to put in the forethought to explore it and make the most of your life, and take charge of your own adventures.

XO,

Riley