Life After Graduation?

Catherine Doyle
Zeta Tau Alpha

I’m sure almost all seniors can relate with me on the stress that the looming graduation date provides.  College graduation used to be one of the most exciting and inspiring days of a person’s life.  It used to be the beginning of your life as an individual, an exciting opportunity to test your wings as you were officially kicked out of the nest. Now it serves as more of an expiration date that we anticipate with as much enthusiasm as a doomsday of sorts. 

Each time someone asks me what I’m doing after graduation, another friend gets a job, or even gets engaged, the pit of my stomach expands with the sickening realization that I am rapidly being pushed to the edge of the unknown.  I used to embrace a new exciting adventure, jump head first into a half-baked plan, and persevered in the optimism of unbridled possibility.  But somewhere along the way I found myself caught in the purgatory of my youthful idealistic ambition and my matured realistic cynicism. I can only assume that there are others who have felt this way or are stuck in the same place I am.  So what are our options after graduation?  Well, for the lucky, hard working, (or well connected) there is a job, maybe even a career.  But with the economy and unemployment what it is, this option is no longer guaranteed like it once was.  In fact, a college degree used to be a golden ticket in life.  Now, companies are more weary of hiring recent college grads due to our lack of experience and the fact that our generation’s commitment issues have created a reputation of us quitting our first job in the first nine months. 

Many undergrads are now attempting to put off the inevitable by avoiding the real world for a few more years by going to grad school.  With more and more young adults going to graduate school, one has to wonder, “Will an undergraduate degree become the new high school degree, and the graduate degree be the equivalent to the college degree?”  If so, what does that mean as the education gap gets wider and wider, and if the college degree is the necessity to get a job as all, how will it in turn affect the widening gap between the classes?  And more immediately, is it worth adding to our already accumulating debt to continue our education when job placement isn’t even a guarantee, therefore making it impossible to ever escape a cycle of debt and interest? What are your options if you don’t have a job and don’t plan on continuing your education?  Depending on how supportive your parents are, you might be able to move back home and take on odd jobs to save money while trying to get on your feet and find a better option.  The lack of ties and obligations also provides a unique opportunity to volunteer with an organization such as Teach for America or the Peace Corps, which would allow you to help those who really need it. Earn a little money, gain life changing experience, gives you two years to come up with a plan, and organizations such as these look amazing on a job application.  They may even help take care of some of your debt. 

Finally, if you are really adventurous, you can look into jobs abroad.  They may be harder to find, and a little more complicated to arrange, however, you might find more opportunity abroad than here.  These options may not necessarily put you on the fast track to the one percent, but at least you will be putting yourself out there, building your resume, gaining experience, and maybe make connections that will change your life!  Our generation is being pushed to think outside the box, take a less traditional route, and must constantly stay on our toes using a combination of common sense and book smarts. It is impossible to determine whether or not our current situation is a curse that will leave us crippled and limping to catch up throughout our life, or a blessing allowing us to find innovative ways to support ourselves through unique opportunities previously suffocated by a cookie-cutter life plan.

Catherine is a senior studying mass communications and graphic design. You may contact her at catherine@odyssey-south.com.