Encouraging the Unknown

Elizabeth Price, MCM Graduate, Class of 2014


I graduated from the MCM program in May 2014. To date, it’s been 9 months and 4 days. I secured a job 3 months after graduation at the world’s largest private translation and language services firm (for privacy reasons, I’m withholding the name here). So far, I have traveled cross-country for work, made tremendous connections with coworkers from all different walks of life, cajoled with international voice talents and linguists from every far-reaching corner of the globe, and had the immense personal gratification of doing this all before the age of 23.

But let me digress. I write this to not to brag or boast; rather, it’s the opposite. Life after commencement has been one high followed by several lows – job dissatisfaction, struggle with finding work-life balance (which, so far, I’ve found doesn’t really exist), and reconciling my rapidly –evolving sense of self. Graduation is not the ending of something but rather the beginning of a multitude of trial and tribulation meant to, I think, build us up into better, greater beings, bigger than the selves we thought we were, bigger than the limits we have (consciously and unconsciously) put on ourselves.

Despite my accomplishments, I remain unsure about what my future means and whether or not I’m even in the right position to get myself there. What I can say is this: USC, and this program, put me in a state of mind in which fearing the unknown is no longer a choice. Nowadays, I (admittedly, reluctantly) encourage the unknown to reach its wispy hand into my day-to-day, directing me to apply steadfast persistence and determination in all that I do. I don’t know quite yet for sure if that’s all it takes, but I’m hoping it’s a good start. I have found that the more control I relinquish to feeling the weight of my dreams, the more I am able to turn those dreams into something real. I encourage you do the same.