The thought of graduating fills me with fear whenever it crosses my mind, but I am thankful that I still have a year to go to finish my second major. I have worked for my entire life to reach the point when I enter the real world, and now that I am finally at the precipice, I don’t know what I should do. I get a little scared just thinking about it, but when I actually try to plan things is when the apprehension is the worst.

At least I know I’m not alone in this. All of my friends express the exact same sentiments whenever the subject is brought up. Of course, they paint these broad strokes about their future; but in the end, I can always tell that they are as bewildered as I am. My favorite example was when I was sitting in a 400-level class full of mostly seniors, and the professor announced that there were only 4 more weeks to graduation. There was a communal eye roll among the entire class as we realized our days as students were about to end and our days in the real world were about to begin.

I am at odds with two distinct forces. On the one side, I have my parents and family. They pledge undying support for me, but it is impossible to explain to them that I don’t know what I am doing. Like many students, I have learned to put up an amazing front; I can make it seem like I have my entire future planned and laid out in front of me, but in my mind I am simultaneously worrying about finding a job.

Parents’ support can make the situation even more emotionally taxing. I don’t want to disappoint my parents who have made a sizable investment in my future, but at the same time I don’t know where my life is going. I have friends who feel really guilty about this. Their parents are paying most of their tuition, so they feel compelled to do well. As graduation looms, they are getting really nervous because the guilt of their parents’ investment in them is overwhelming.

My professors are the other force applying pressure to my life. Ohio University receives a lot of flak from the media about sports cuts and plagiarism, but I have never heard anything positive about the professors. At least in my two majors, my professors have given me all the help and support that I could ever ask for. Professors are there to not only teach but to help and encourage students. I really don’t want to let down the people whom I have so much respect for and who have provided me with many of the tools I need to decide what I am doing after I graduate.

A viewing of The Graduate confirms that these fears are hardly novel and makes me suspect that they are common among people in their early 20s. This, unfortunately, doesn’t make the decisions any easier. Because the trepidation of the future is such a personal problem, it is difficult to have an honest conversation about it with anyone. The closer graduation lingers, the more conversations I have with friends about the future. Inevitably, it all comes down to a choice that rests solely on the shoulders of the individual.

The odds are in our favor. Most people find jobs and are successful after graduation, but I sense the collective dread about entering the real world where there is little or no safety net, and where we only have what we learned to rely on. I empathize with all of the people graduating in a few weeks. I’m just glad I get another year to realize what I am doing with my life. Columns represent the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Post.