I got the 'perfect job' in my field after graduating. Two years later, I left it all behind and moved to Tokyo.

Alessa Hickman

• After graduating, I got a job in my field like I was "supposed" to, but I still felt unfulfilled.
• Leaving a stable teaching job in my field reshaped how I define success.
• My move to Japan taught me that life after graduation doesn't have to be linear.

After four years of coursework, practicums, and part-time jobs, graduating felt like a huge accomplishment. I finally had room to breathe. Then fall approached, and it was time to get a "real job".