How to Prepare When Expecting College Graduation

For those who are seniors or super seniors, you dawn on the day that graduation finally arrives. No more school, no more classes, no more late-night studying. Your head is towards your career and your eyes further towards your future. Though numerous seniors get excited, the first thing that breaks its way through many students' minds is the two huge questions: how will I begin my climb for my dream career now that I've received or am going to receive my degree? How do I prepare?

Think Ahead

If you know you're going to be graduating in the next semester or the semester after the next, it's time to think ahead of the world. Ponder on what you believe you want your path to be, what the entire point of getting this degree meant to you, and what you believe will be your hardships and accomplishments when aiming to reach your dream goal. Think about the location where you want to work when you do obtain this dream job and for whom. Consider small or corporate businesses that are open to you. It always helps to set these thought processes out so you won't be too disappointed when surprising obstacles come your way and you won't set the bar too high for yourself, expecting too much too fast.

Plan Accordingly

Now that you have that thought process in mind, it's time to plan your steps accordingly. Most likely, you're not going to automatically acquire a job that directly hits your degree right after graduation but that's alright. Knowing where you want to head, it's always a bright idea to immediately start looking for small jobs or services in which you can acquire money. This way, you are still accumulating money into your bank, either saving up, or being able to pay bills. Remember to try and stay within your main location goal as to not waver from job opportunities that may come your way pertaining to your dream career. On that note, remember to continuously apply for jobs that will lead you to your career while you are working those small jobs. Don't ever deter yourself from the path that you've created for yourself.

Build Yourself Up

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, you're going to need to acquire jobs to keep money flowing through your bank account. That said, it's not a horrible idea that those jobs have nothing to do with your degree or your current skills. If you do find a small job that pertains to your skills and possibly your degree, that's even better. As said by a recent graphic design graduate, "Having a minimum wage retail job can help you develop skills that might make you more desirable for better jobs."

To put everything simply, yes, it's is quite terrifying to graduate college. Unlike having your academic advisors or counselors mapping out your academic career for you when taking classes or applying for internships, now you are personally creating your own path that requires much more attention. As the graphic design graduate states, "it's scary and very disheartening because you are going to be rejected by numerous jobs." It doesn't mean that you'll never make it, it just means that things might go a little slower than when you were taking classes and knew what to expect as the next semester rolled in.

However, always remember the highlights to working this hard for your goal. You've experienced and are going to experience even more. It's unbelievable what you're going to go through now that classes are officially over in your life and quite an adventurous thought at the same time. As mentioned before it's best to plan these things, if possible, before your graduation is too close. Let the hardships build you up rather than break you down. With your new gained knowledge and skills, it may take a while, but eventually, you'll make it. One step at a time.