A soon-to-be graduate’s thoughts on entering the “real world”
They say that university will give you the best four years of your life. So what happens when, out of nowhere, those four years come to an end? I think I can speak for the majority when I say I am absolutely terrified to graduate. For the most part, my friends and I live embracing the comforts of our fantasy world where we never have to graduate, which some may also know as denial. You may have heard of it – and if you’re a soon-to-be graduate like me, I’m sure you’ve taken a trip down that road yourself. When I think of graduating, my mind fills with thoughts and questions I can’t possibly know the answers to. Where am I going to find a job? Who am I going to live with next year? I have to make new friends?! Does this mean I have to be a functioning adult now?
Life after university is a thrilling while at the same time terrifying pursuit – make the most of it, go on and live your dream.
So many questions, yet so few answers. After four years as an undergrad, it’s normal to feel comfortable in your environment. You’ve finally learned where every building is, you’ve made a great group of friends, and you feel completely content exactly where you are in life.
You think back to when you were a first-year – having absolutely no idea which building was MAC and which one was MACN, forgetting you couldn’t use your student card before two p.m. after having your sub made, and asking every single bus if they went to the university before getting on (the answer is yes, always). Ah, the days when you had absolutely no idea what you were doing. Now you’re a pro at getting yourself around campus and functioning as a university student, but all of that is inevitably coming to an end. Soon, you’re going to feel exactly as you did in first-year – having absolutely no idea what you’re doing as life throws you into adulthood. That’s the way most of us see it, but it really doesn’t have to be as bad as we think it’ll be. Of course, it’s terrifying venturing into the unknown – we fear that we won’t live up to our expectations in the real world, or that we won’t get that dream job we’ve worked so hard to attain, but putting that kind of pressure on ourselves only brings on unnecessary anxiety. Everyone is afraid of what comes after graduation, but it’s important to remember that it’s a universal feeling and that life is full of constant change. The friends you’ve made in University can remain a part of your life for years after you graduate, as long as you make the effort to keep in touch and stay in each other’s lives. Maybe post-graduation is the perfect time to travel and explore the world while finding yourself, or it could be an opportunity to gain experience in the working world. Whatever you choose to do is your choice, and is not something you should question or feel less adequate for pursuing because of what others choose to do. We each have our own motivations that drive us, so it’s normal that we each have a different path to take.
…it’s normal that we each have a different path to take.
Graduation is a frightening time for all of us, but it’s also a time to cherish the amazing memories you’ve made and to follow the path you think is right for you. If you have no idea what that path is, this is the perfect opportunity to find out, because for the most part, none of us have any idea where we are going. Just remember that you somehow grew up from being a lost, terrified first-year into the confident soon-to-be graduate you are today – and if you survived your great years as a Gryphon, you’ll be more than prepared to succeed in the real world.