By Caitlin Green
As May fast approaches, I realize how drastically different my life was just one year ago. Senior year of college was a blur, jam-packed with memories, and I was stationed in the middle, trying to savor every moment and make the most of what little time was left. The month of May sat juxtaposed to the whirlwind of senior year and posed the question on everyone’s mind: what are you doing after you graduate?
It began the summer before senior year, and the question was everywhere I turned. Distant relatives, friends of the family, even strangers in the grocery store all wanted to know what I was doing after graduation. At first, my friends and I would just shrug our shoulders; many of us didn’t know what we wanted to do. Grad school maybe? Get a job?
My college roommate was one of the fortunate ones. She had known since freshman year that she wanted to teach and couldn’t wait to graduate and have a classroom of her own. Another friend planned on moving to Connecticut with her boyfriend who was attending grad school and resolved to find a job upon arrival.
For the rest of us, we were bombarded with career fairs, resume workshops, and on-campus recruitment opportunities. But many of the opportunities were unappealing, and we all feared committing to something we would end up hating. What did I do? I applied to graduate school.
Luckily, I was accepted and was guaranteed at least another year and a half of freedom. If push came to shove, would I have gotten a real job? Sure, but here was an opportunity to continue learning and get a degree. This was the right move for me, and I don’t regret staying in school. Some classmates can’t wait to leave the tests, long papers, and group projects behind. Others just want to start making money (four years of being a poor college student will do that to you). So…what did I learn from all of this?
Lesson #1: Graduation is NOT doomsday. While it may be the end of the best four years of your life, there’s no rush to find and accept full-time employment just because that’s what you’re supposed to do.
Lesson #2: Explore all your options. If you want to travel, look at getting involved in the Peace Corps or see if you can work abroad for six months. There are many programs that provide employment opportunities abroad for recent grads. Utilize all your resources to find something that’s right for YOU.
Lesson #3: If you don’t know, DON’T panic. It’s OK if you’re sitting at graduation and still don’t know what you want to do with your life. Put yourself out there and get involved in opportunities that interest you; that’s the only way you’re going to find out what you like and what you don’t like.
Lesson #4: Be careful of burn out! You didn’t spend four years of your life partying every night. You studied and worked hard for your degree. Allow time for transition, and give your mind a rest.
Lesson #5: Enjoy what precious time is left. College is one of the best times in your life where you meet lifelong friends. Enjoy the remaining weeks, don’t spend them stressing about a job.
NEXT: The Grad School Gamble
As a marketing intern at Experience, Caitlin writes, assists with Exclusive Experiences, and picks up everyone’s dry cleaning. She is currently getting her masters at Emerson College and hopes that once she graduates, she’ll like being a grown-up.
