i gotta say, this all sounded pretty enticing to me and my own newborn b.a., but sydney was adamant that she doesn’t have all the answers (dang it!). yet, as i enter the workforce, during the second unprecedented economic crash i’ve seen since learning long division, i’m satisfied with any study guide i can get.

sydney said it herself: “a lot of millennials and older gen-z people, we’ve been through two recessions, which is not easy at all, and i kind of always knew that when i was in school that, first off, i was in a field where getting a job is extremely competitive. it’s very hard to find a full-time journalism job right when you’re out of college. that’s just, like, bottom line. no matter how good you are, no matter how many experiences you have or whatever, it’s hard.”

you can find my entire conversation with sydney on planet forward’s instagram tv and, for those anxious about their own futures in media, freelancing, or advocacy, i’m more than happy to let you copy my notes. 

1. get to know your values.

when searching for opportunities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the different avenues available, and the possibilities of where they might lead you geographically, professionally, or personally. when navigating these intersections, it’s good to use your own values as a compass. however, finding these values can often be an adventure all its own.

“when you’re transitioning into adulthood, it’s kind of hard for a lot of us to detach, like, the feelings, the expectations that have been put on us by the people that have raised us,” syndey said.

take time to pin down what success looks like to you, rather than to others (even those who matter most!). once you know what drives you, the destination is easier to find. be patient with yourself as your goalposts are likely to change.

“that was something that i’m still dealing with today,” sydney said, “… is figuring out who am i truly and what are my values as sydney greene, not as my parents, not as my friends, not as my grandparents.”

2. get to know your niche.

beyond knowing what you value, you should also pin down what others value you for (and this is certainly the part that brings me the most anxiety). however, it’s helpful to shift the thought process from a question of, “what are my skills?” to, “what are my interests? what subject do i feel most at home covering? what do people associate with me?” sydney said she finds knowing her “brand” especially helpful when reaching out to editors to pitch ideas.

“i think knowing the stories that you’re passionate about, knowing the issues that you’re passionate about, and then creating a niche inside the passions is really important because when you are pitching something to someone or you’re just reaching out to an editor you can say, like, ‘hey!’ instead of doing a general pitch or hello, you can let them know, ‘here’s what i do. here’s the work that i’m interested in. if you need any gaps filled in your coverage that include these topic areas, i’m here for you,’” she said.

when you have an understanding of the specific knowledge and skillsets you possess, own them.

“do not be afraid to promote yourself, y’all,” syndey said. “like, do it. run with it. be proud of the work that you do, be proud of who you are, and promote yourself.”

3. don’t be afraid to change course.

as important as it is to know yourself, it’s just as important to understand that who you are, what you want, and what you’re interested in are always changing. even if you’ve dreamed of something since elementary school, it might not be the right choice for you now. sydney experienced this firsthand when she shifted from her dream of being a full-time reporter to pursue advocacy work. yet, she made this transition by reassessing her values and, from there, breaking down what drew her to journalism in order to steer her toward her next move.

sydney said, “when i knew i was not going to be doing [journalism] full time, i had to peel back the layers and think, ‘ok, what about journalism really interested me from a young age and how can i still maintain that passion into a different role?’ and that was storytelling, at the bottom of it, it was storytelling. luckily, i was able to take that storytelling into the different jobs i do now.”

your skills and interests can translate into a variety of different roles and industries, and there is no shame in switching things up.

4. you’re not in it alone.

graduating from college, especially into the current state of the world, might feel a bit like free-falling from the nest and hoping that you can figure out how to use your wings before reaching the ground. while you likely do have more responsibilities and less structure than you’re used to, you also have support systems to turn to. 

for sydney, mentors have helped guide the way. she recommends seeking mentorship from people in different professions and across different age groups who will each be able to relate to you and speak to your experiences in different ways.

“i think it’s really important to have a lot of mentors across the board, whether that’s professional or whether that’s personal,” she said. “having allies in general that advocate for you, whether that’s inside the workplace or outside the workplace, is incredibly important.”

also, remember that wherever you are now, you have learned lessons that can benefit someone else.

“i always say, you know, pay it forward,” sydney said. “even if you’re two or three years older than someone and you don’t think that you have something to offer, you absolutely have something to offer. so, make sure just as you’re getting that advice from mentors, make sure you’re paying it forward and helping the people who are also up and coming like you were at some point.”
 

to keep up with sydney, check out her website here.

co-founded by tobias peggs and kimbal musk, square roots trains its “food entrepreneurs” to grow local produce in its indoor, climate controlled, hydroponic vertical farms.

the company’s website describes the project as, “an urban farming accelerator—powered by human ingenuity, technology, and a deep love for local, real food.”

each “modular farm” takes two acres worth of farmland and fits it into a storage container. the project’s vertical farming method is highly efficient in terms of space, which allows this acreage to be compartmentalized into such a small area.

square roots aims to close the disconnect between consumer and grower as well as increase access to local, healthy food sources.

these vertical farms can be placed just about anywhere and can be accessed year-round as well.

square roots offers a network of mentors as well as experts that work with its food entrepreneurs. anyone can apply to be a square roots food entrepreneur as the company plans to expand to other cities and prepares for future growing seasons.

according to an article written by founder kimbal musk, the company is focusing on recruiting millennials to join its team. this provides a highly unique opportunity to recent college graduates. square roots encourages those with experience in everything from agriculture to nonprofit work to apply. 

the company’s inaugural group of food entrepreneurs for its first season consists of ten people with varying backgrounds and goals for the project. this group is part of square root’s first campus in brooklyn.

apply here to be considered as a square roots food entrepreneur in the future.