Brace Yourselves, Graduation is Coming

Spring is in the air and if you’re a college student, that means that your final exams are around the corner.

But if you’re a senior, that means your pending graduation is looming ahead of you, like the end of a really good cafe mocha you’ve been savoring for four years but now when you take a sip you can see your reflection in the bottom of the ceramic mug. It’s happening, and it’s happening soon.

So, what’s the next step? Well that depends. But here are a couple of things to help you figure out what you’re going to do for the next big step in your life.

Don’t be afraid of the unknown. If the only thing that’s for certain is where you’re living right after you walk, that’s okay. Take a breath, figure out what you want to do with your brand-spanking-new degree. Shop around on career websites like Glassdoor or Indeed and see what’s out there.

Just because the classmate you’ve been silently competing with the last four years got their dream job in a dream city doesn’t mean that you have to have that much figured out too. Although it does help to know.

Be open to jobs, cities, or plans you otherwise wouldn’t think of. Didn’t realize that San Antonio, Texas might be a hopping place to move to? Or that the obscure job semi-related to your degree is good enough to start off with? What about that summer road trip your friends are talking about? Now is the time to be open and enjoy the fact that you never have to go to a single class or worry about your GPA ever again. Unless you’re considering grad school, which leads me to my next point.

Never stop learning. Just because you graduated doesn’t mean that there’s nothing left to learn. Take advantage of seminars at work, museums, galleries, exhibits, etc. And if you’re a brave soul heading to graduate school, then good for you. Never be afraid to keep learning, whether it’s another two years of higher education or just on your own in your new phase of life.

It’s not a race. Everyone is going to be doing something different, so don’t compare where you are in your post-grad life to where other people are. Some people are moving back home to get their bearings before launching off into the “real world,” while others are diving in immediately, and others are somewhere in between. The old saying goes something like, “It does not matter how fast you are moving, as long as you do not stop.”

Enjoy the last month of being a college student and finish strong before it’s all over.

ibtimes.com