ConGRADulations: A Reflection on Being a Year out of College

by Shaina Dorow / May 23, 2017

First, I want to say congratulations to all of the people who have graduated and moved to DC! We’re so excited to have you in this great city.

Whether you moved to DC without a plan or you’ve  had a job lined up since September, moving to a new place is hard. I graduated a year ago (May 22nd, to be exact), and I knew I was moving to DC. I had gotten a job here at GatherDC, and I was so excited for the new phase of my life.

via GIPHY

After moving here, I realized that I didn’t have a lot of close friends who were here. I had new places for me to explore, new routines to follow (ugh 9 am), and new friends to make. It wasn’t easy. However, there is always comfort in knowing things will work out.

You need to find the places and people you feel comfortable, and over time it becomes easier…over the past year, I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever made. I think this is because when everyone is in a vulnerable place, everyone is more open to exploring that vulnerability together and making closer, better friends.

All the TV shows say #adulting is the worst, and they’re not wrong. However, they’re not totally right either. Being an adult is also fun, challenging, and definitely worth the wait. (Even though you have to pay taxes and might have to deal with weird roommates.) This past year has been one of the best.

If you want to find a way to connect to Jewish life, friends, or activities (believe me, that’s where all of my friends came from), sign up for coffee! We’d love to be your first point of connection in DC.