Scared. If you’re a junior or senior in college this is most likely how you’re feeling when you think about graduation and the few years that will follow. Blanketed by the security of four years of high school, followed by four years of college, the years following graduation seem unfamiliar and untraced.
The feelings that begin to set in, as graduation day draws near, can be different for everyone; but there are a few consistencies felt between nearly all seniors. One senior described her feelings about graduation as “an emotional rollercoaster—you’re excited and anxious to see what’s in store for your life, but at the same time, you want to hold onto the bubble that is college life.”
When we balance the ideals set before us, including the expectations of our parents, the interference of our relationships, and the way we have come to fit in with society, we realize our future is far more than our degree or intelligence. We realize that those aspects of our lives that have held such prominence, like our GPA, standardized test scores, or the opinions of our teachers, do not matter half as much as they once did. Now we are entering unchartered waters and must learn to understand success on our own terms. Only then can we begin to perceive what lies ahead for us in our future.
Where to begin? If you’re nearing the deadlines for graduate school you already have enough stress underway. Even though graduate school offers an additional few years under the security blanket of being a “student”, it is certainly no walk in the park. Taking a year off is a good option for many college graduates who want to take time and establish themselves better as individuals before carving out their future. The “gap year”, as it’s often referred to, can give you time to set long-term career goals and save up some money for future endeavors. Although, the time will still come where you’ll need to take the plunge into real adulthood and establish a career.
So what do you want to do with your life? As if that question isn’t obscure enough, and likely to cause a panic attack, it’s something you’re expected to know by the end of graduation. What if you don’t? Relax. Hopefully your classes and experiences in college have given you at least a few ideas and options about what you’d enjoy doing for work, but even if you’re clueless, there’s no need to panic. The most important thing is to stay active with your life. Never stop searching for new opportunities and new ways to network. As the saying goes it really is all about who you know; therefore it’s important to stay active in the job department, even if it’s not something you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life.
As for graduation, it might be difficult to say goodbye to those you’ve bonded with and grown to love during your time in college. It may also seem incomprehensible that you’ll have a whole new level of responsibility on your shoulders; but it is not certainly not the end of the world. In fact, it’s more like the beginning. Graduation is the beginning of a brand new page in your book where you have the freedom to strive for greater and better life experiences. So instead of dreading the end of college life, embrace the beginning of the next chapter of successes and opportunities. And remember, “you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.”—Frederick B. Wilcox
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Northeastern chapter.