Post-Grad Life: Expectations vs Reality
Maura Munaf on the radical lifestyle shift Gen-Z college students face after graduation
On this week’s special issue of Modem Weekly, we will be featuring Maura Munaf, an Associate Copywriter at Digitas North America. Based in Boston but born & raised in Indonesia, Maura graduated this year from Boston University with a degree in Film & TV and minor in Advertising.
Tell us more about yourself, Maura.
I spent most of my school years interning between shops because I wanted to see who I could be outside of lecture halls. Loved learning, but I longed for more real-world stimulation. And I was kind of addicted to growth.
I went forth on this creative-individual-identity-exploratory journey. Tried screenwriting, directing, and photography. Dipped my toes in anthropology, poetry, and philosophy (actually concentrated in it). Interned at Ogilvy, Windy Films, Sid Lee. And I finally landed in copywriting. Why? Because it took the best parts of everything I liked and funneled it into a very human, exceptionally creative, yet forward-looking way of connecting with people. And when I had this realization, I asked myself— “How can I not do this for a living?” So here I am. Crafting things that you’ll probably see in your commute or before you go to sleep.
How different is the expectation of post college life and the reality of post college life?
Two. Different. Worlds. I thought that all my work experiences would prepare me for the actual 9 to 5, but boy…was I wrong. Yes, you’ll have a dapper work ethic and get a vast web of connections needed to land your first job. But nobody teaches in you in school what happens when you actually land your first job. It’s like getting handed a bunch of shiny furniture parts from IKEA, minus the handbook.
Everything in college is built up into this “happily ever after” ending once you start working, but the truth is everything now feels like a reset. A blank canvas. I’m not the same person that I was 2-3 years ago, but I’m living the best life that younger me would’ve died for.
Now I’m back in this exploratory journey that I was going through in the beginning of college. I can’t imagine doing anything else, but as someone who’s addicted to growth—I’m always imagining how the copywriter and brand creative in me can traverse into other worlds. Like social work, education, contemporary art, or even cuisine. Thinking about it just excites me.
In retrospect, I wished that I had a clue back then of how I could’ve mentally prepare myself more, rather than just skillfully. Staying open, accepting the state as it is, not feeling guilty of wanting more of something, and recognizing your journey are all things that I practice as I familiarize myself with this new me.
Why do you think so many early professionals feel so unsatisfied or burnt out when they're starting out?
A lack of balance. If you put so much pressure and expectation into your performance in one area of your life, that’s a recipe for burn out. Again, back into this “happily ever after when you land your first job” myth. Some young professionals—at least from my circle of friends and my personal experience—succumb to that myth, so they’re searching and working toward this perfect, peak-level of satisfaction through their jobs, which is frankly unrealistic. It’s like shooting an arrow to the sky and clouds, and not hitting anything concrete.
So when that happens, I usually take a step back and assess what other parts of my life I should put my energy in.
“Let’s decorate my walls.”
“Curious to see if creatives go for master’s degrees in psychology.”
“It’s been a while since I caught up with them.”
“Yoga would be nice. Should I go before or after work?”
“Which pescado burrito tastes better between these two taqueria’s?”
“My fav DJ is in town—l’m gonna thrift an outfit for their show.”
Simple stuff like that. Looks and feels small, but they matter the most. Distributing my energy into things that instinctively make me happy is essential to my overall wellbeing. You can always meditate or do breath work every time your stress levels reach a boiling point. But everyone’s remedies are different, and this is what’s sustainable for me now. My value to the world is fluid and free, and that just puts me at ease.
Tell us how your sense of community has shifted since leaving college. Is it more difficult for you to stay connected with people your own age and maintain those relationships?
1000%. Coming up to my fourth year living in Boston, I’m now redefining what this space and environment means to me because the people who gave meaning to it have left. Most of my friends who made Boston feel home when I first got here returned home. That has been difficult, but this yearning for a community pushed me to strengthen old ties and build new ones with the people here. Because of the pandemic (hate saying that but it’s inevitable), I really get to choose who I put my energy to and set the boundaries I need—and people respect that.
Back in college, I’d typically mold myself into a social situation or someone else’s personality to “get with the flow” or just vibe—probably because I was still putting together my own personality. But now I know what I like and don’t like, so I get to unapologetically be myself and not force connections if they don’t feel strong and real. I’d love to connect with more creatives though, so don’t be shy and hit me up.
That’s all for now!
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