5 Things I’m Learning After Graduation

By: Marie-Valentine Lacoudre

Graduation feels strange. Don’t worry, I am the first to understand that bittersweet feeling after graduating. You just spent the most hectic, yet fun and extraordinary four years of your life, and suddenly it just stops on a random Saturday. 

For so long, life follows a structure. There’s always a next class, a next semester, a next version of yourself you’re working toward. And then suddenly, one day, it’s over. And the future becomes entirely yours again. 

I think that is what scared me the most at first. 

Not the uncertainty itself, but the realization that I now get to choose who I become. 

And honestly? That is also the most beautiful part. 

As I’ve entered into this strange in-between phase of life– somewhere between student and adult, dreaming and becoming– I have realized there are a few things I keep returning to over and over again.

1. Passion usually starts quietly 

I used to think passion would arrive dramatically. Like one day I suddenly woke up completely certain of what I was meant to do with my life. But looking back, the things that matter most to me started very small. 

Taking photos because the lighting felt beautiful. Editing videos late at night because I cared about how they felt. Writing ideas in my notes app during class because I couldn't stop thinking creative;y. 

That's part of why Samantha Siu's New York resonated with me so naturally. The brand approaches jewelry the same way I approach storytelling; emotionally. 

Pieces like the Renaissance Romance necklace do not just exist to accessorize an outfit. They hold meaning, memory, intention. They become connected to moments in your life, which is what makes them timeless. Passion does not always begin loudly. Sometimes it begins with simply paying attention to what keeps pulling you back in. 

 

2. The internet becomes beautiful when you stop trying to perform for it 

Working in social media taught me something I didn’t expect: people connect most deeply to honesty, not perfection. I think we have all spent time online feeling pressure to constantly curate ourselves into something polished, but the content that stays with people usually comes from somewhere real. 

That’s why I have always cared more about how something feels before how it performs. The same way jewelry becomes meaningful because of the memory attached to it, storytelling becomes powerful when there’s actual emotion behind it. 

The lustrous kingdom bracelet reminds me of that. it’s elegant without trying too hard to prove itself– subtle, warm, timeless. The kind of piece that quietly becomes part of someone’s everyday life. 

I think people are like that too. The most beautiful people are usually the ones who stop performing and simply become themselves. 

3. Change is terrifying, but it is also freedom 

I know graduation feels overwhelming for a lot of people right now. It feels like everyone around you suddenly expected you to know exactly what your life is supposed to look like. But the truth is, nobody really knows. 

And honestly, that is okay. 

You are allowed to change your mind. You are allowed to grow into a different version of yourself. You are allowed to not know what you are doing next. You are allowed to not have every detail figured out immediately after receiving a diploma. 

If anything, graduation is not an ending, it is permission. Permission to build a life that actually feels like yours. For the first time, you are the one driving the car now. And while that can feel terrifying, it is also incredibly exciting. You now have the opportunity to decide what kind of life you want to create, who you want to become, and what kind of energy you want to bring into the world. 

Choose carefully. But do not be afraid. Take the risk. 

Some of the best things in life happen when you stop trying to perfectly control every turn. 

4. Creativity grows when you let yourself live a little

I used to think creativity came from constantly trying to “be creative.” But honestly, most inspiration comes from living. From conversations, music, traveling into the city, watching people, falling in love with random moments, feeling inspired after a long day, hearing a sentence that stays in your head for hours. That is part of why I am so excited about the podcast we're creating at Samantha Siu New York.  

It’s not just about fashion or social media– it is about connection. About relationships, emotions, storytelling, femininity, friendship, and all the little things people actually think about but don’t always say out loud. I think the best creative projects happen when people feel like they are being invited into something genuine. 

Not marketed to– connected to. 

5. You don't need to have everything planned for your life to be meaningful 

This is probably the biggest thing I am learning right now. I didn’t plan any of this. Not the opportunities, not the people, not the path I am currently on, and yet, somehow, every small step led me somewhere meaningful anyway. 

I think we underestimate how much life changes when we simply stay open. Open to creativity, open to people, open to uncertainty, open to evolving. Because sometimes the life you were trying so hard to plan becomes less beautiful than the one that slowly finds you instead.

And maybe, that is simply the point. 

So, to anyone graduating right now and feeling uncertain: take a deep breath. Everything will certainly be okay. Your life does not need to be perfectly figured out in your twenties. You are still becoming. You are still learning yourself. And honestly, that is what makes this stage of life so special. 

You are no longer waiting for permission to become who you want to be. You are ALREADY on your way!