It’s rather ironic how there’s a kind of movie experience in moving around campus during your last semester, where every moment will be your “lasts.” Your last time sitting in that particular lecture hall in which you’re sure you haven’t paid enough attention in. Last time having coffee prior to going to class as you convince yourself everything is under control. But then, that feeling hits you. Graduation is no longer a future event in your planner but rather an upcoming reality and a truth you can’t escape from. And somehow, it’s a mixture of exhilaration and fear. Â
As a senior who will complete my studies at UMass Boston in the coming spring, I feel like I’m in that weird zone between two realities. One filled with elation at finally reaching a landmark I had once thought so distant. Pride in all those late nights, group assignments, tests, and struggles, which eventually led to growth. Start fantasizing about your post-college life where there’s no homework, test-taking… just freedom!
Well… sort of.
For where the thrill ends, an ever-lingering apprehension follows. The kind that arises when you reflect on what comes after. In my case, entering the events industry means stepping up on stage unprepared. The events industry is one brimming with enthusiasm, energy, and connectivity — all of which I admire deeply. The notion of making things happen and being part of something bigger than myself inspired me to choose this particular line of work.
That’s when reality gives you a harsh wake-up call.
There’s little to no employment security at the entry level. Even entry-level positions seem to ask for years of experience. Internships are highly contested. Positions receive hundreds of applications within mere hours of their release. Suddenly, your unwavering passion turns into a question mark. Am I prepared? Do I have the qualifications? What if I can’t manage to find anything?
There exists an odd dichotomy between being excited to begin working and at the same time feeling uncertain whether such an opportunity would occur in the first place.
In addition, there is the silent pressure associated with having graduated. As many believe, you are expected to have a definite direction for your future development by now, to have secured a job position, and have an established plan on how to proceed within the next several years. On the contrary, many of us are still trying to understand what lies ahead, applying, and waiting for some feedback.
Nevertheless, there is also a certain excitement in this process of exploration.
Perhaps, it is all about the lack of clarity and unpredictability of what awaits us. You know that no decisions have been made yet and you are still able to change your mind and do whatever you want. The events industry itself is extremely flexible. Every event differs from others.
Thus, yes, the idea of graduation is pretty scary. It is about leaving the comfort zone for uncertainty; the known for the unknown. And most of all, it implies leaving a system with predefined rules and entering another world without any manual on how to act there. However, it also presents an opportunity—an opportunity to use your skills to their full capacity to find out what they can achieve.
At this moment, there are no guarantees that I’ll land where I expect or that I’ll achieve my goal fast enough. I just know that many others feel this way too. Perhaps it is enough for today.
However, there is one lesson which this experience made me learn—it is that most often, development comes from uncertainty rather than certainty.