Long time no see everybody.

In case you didn’t know, this blog started off as a classroom assignment. Write one blog post a week, read it in front of the class and receive feedback.

But on May 12th, I graduated from the University of Southern California and my weekly blog assignments were over.

This is my first blog post after my graduating from USC and here’s a look into what my life looks like now.

I am unemployed and the lease for my apartment in Los Angeles is up at the end of June. Soon, I will be unemployed and living back at home. Not something I envisioned happening when I first started school.

But it’s okay. I’m pursuing something I love and it will take time to achieve my dreams. In many ways, my quest for a job is kind of like the Lakers’ quest for another championship.

And we’re both in the middle of a rebuild to achieve our dreams.

Yes, winning an NBA championship is extremely difficult, but when you’ve been applying to jobs for months to no avail, you start to feel like finding a dream job is just as unlikely.

From 1979 to 2013, Dr. Jerry Buss was the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. He was charismatic team owner who knew how to read and connect with people.

He always had a plan for his team.

Jerry Buss wanted the Lakers to be synonymous with Los Angeles. He wanted the Lakers to not only be one of the best teams in the league, but to also play a fun style of basketball. He wanted to make the games as entertaining as possible for the fans.

When he passed away in 2013, it felt like the Lakers empire would crumble without its patriarch. Dr. Buss’ shares of the Los Angeles Lakers were distributed evenly among his six children and until this year — when Jeanie Buss ousted her brother Jim — the teams seemed to lack any direction.

I am someone who likes to know what is coming next. After finishing high school, I went to the University of Washington. After graduating from UW, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, so I signed up for the Peace Corps in order to make sure I was doing something meaningful while I figured it out. In the Peace Corps, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in Sports Journalism. And four months after returning from my Peace Corps service, I began my Master’s program at USC.

I have always prepared the “next step” for myself. After USC, I expected to get a job in the field of Sports Journalism. So, like the Lakers of 2013-17, I find myself without a path, even though I know what I want the end destination to be.

In recent years, the Lakers have also had a hard time convincing big name free agents to sign with them. Because of the prestige of the Lakers’ brand, they have been able to get a meeting with free agents like Carmelo Anthony and LaMarcus Aldridge every offseason. But every home run swing turned into a strikeout.

Every big free agent said no.

I have been applying to jobs since February. People told me to wait until April, but I was to anxious to find something as soon as possible. Let me get the job first, and I’ll figure it out from there. Out of probably 75 applications sent out in the last three months, I have gotten one interview.

One.

Every single hiring manager so far has said no.

But hey, not all of the comparisons are bad. Another thing that the Lakers and I have in common during our rebuild is that we both have steadfast fans who believe in us through and through.

Even though the Lakers have finished in the bottom four in league standings for the past three seasons, the team still has some of the most loyal fans in the league.

As for me, my family, friends and girlfriend have all been extremely supportive of me during my rebuild as well. They give me words of encouragement, connect me to their friends in the industry and giving me great job hunting advice. Like the Lakers, I would be nothing without my support group.

One final comparison I can give is that I truly believe in both the Lakers and myself to achieve our dreams sooner rather than later. Something inside tells me that I will find a job this summer just like something inside tells me that the Lakers will be raising a championship banner in the next ten years.

I just hope that voice inside is right.