Ep 4. What Do You Do?

In Quarter Life Poetry season 1 episode 4, titled "What Do You Do?", viewers get an inside look at the anxious and confusing experience of post-graduation life. While having accomplished one of the most significant milestones in their young lives, many graduates are left with a question that is seemingly unanswerable: "What do you do now?"

This episode covers a range of issues that come with post-graduation life and how everyone seems to be experiencing them. The central theme of this episode is opening up channels of discourse surrounding the transition from academia to work and the pressure that comes with it.

As we dive into the episode, we learn that the primary character, Samantha Jayne, is taking on odd jobs while still figuring out how she can enter the workforce fully. Like many other graduates, Samantha is juggling with multiple queries like a job offer, responding to the parents' question "what kind of job" or even the need to buy a car. In her 20's she's come to the terms with cultural expectations of being independent and acting more adult-like.

The episode also provides insights into how societal expectations and worries can create significant stress in the mind of a recent graduate. With so much pressure to find a financially stable job, many recent graduates encounter a sense of trauma when things don't go as planned. Many graduates take up jobs that may not align with their interests or passion just to pay the bill straight out of college.

As the episode continues, it shows a conversation between Samantha and an unknown character about their work. They explain it's more about the feeling of your job, like feeling satisfied after the completion of a project, and not so much about the job itself. The episode highlights that we should be proud of whatever job we do as it isn't easy to get a job right after graduation.

The episode also focuses on the heavier issue of mental health. More often than not, post-graduation students face the pressure of the unknown. Not to mention, there’s often a disconnect between what parents or people around them have as expectations and what the person actually wants. In this episode, the audience is shown how normal it is to question everything and that it's of the utmost importance to find someone to talk about their experiences.

Throughout the episode, there are comedic moments too. Samantha satirizes herself for being broke and jobless and needing her mother. Her friend, played by Rachel Pendergrass, delivers a comedic monologue about cosigning for her brother, lasting longer than expected, and hitting the audience with a shocking and discomforting twist.

Overall, "What Do You Do?" is an engaging and thought-provoking episode that tackles an issue that affects many young adults. It helps remove the stigma surrounding post-graduation depression while revealing that it’s normal to be scared of starting a new phase of life. The episode's themes and characters are authentic, relatable, and offer viewers a glimpse into the complexities of transitioning from academia to the professional world.