The all-nighters, frat parties and football games, spring break, Christmas vacation and summers off. This has been the highlight of my college career.
Now I am just a few days away from the real world experience, and I am terrified.
Anxieties, uncertainties and confusion are starting to consume my life. As my final spring break nears, my thoughts of, “Where are we partying?” have turned into, “Where will I work?”
The thought of being unemployed after graduation scares me, especially when I’ve worked so hard to earn a degree.
When I graduated from Florida State University with my bachelors degree, I pondered over graduate school or a job. I promptly decided that I wanted to continue my education, but I never expected to feel this way. The “senior panic” has set in because for the first time I have no control over the final product.
Few things in life scare me, and the thought of finally having to take charge fills me with dread.
Have you ever realized how good we have it in college?
Granted, many students work to pay for school but there are few, like me, who have had the opportunity to take advantage of the entire college experience.
Over the past six years, I’ve never worked and I was fortunate enough to join various organizations that allowed me to hone in on my skills. I also had time to have lunch with friends and complete all my schoolwork, so I could go out on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
My youth is officially ending and adulthood is about to pick up.
The excitement and comfort of college are almost over. I find it humiliating to have to rely on my parents for survival after graduation, even though so many students do.
“My parents support me and always will,” said Justin Frema, a seventh year FSU communication studies student. “IÃm uncertain about what to study and what I want to be, so I keep changing my degree,” he added.
“I’ve started to worry more and more about graduation because I’m going to be cut off from my parents. Taking on the world scares me”.
“It’s a shock to think that in a month or so I have to take care of myself,” said Melissa Clark, (age, from where) a Florida A&M University business student.
But, she and I are not alone. According to a college Web site, http://www.fool.com www.fool.com, many students who are nearing graduation respond,”ìI donÃt want to talk about it,” when asked about plans.
“Students become stressed prior to graduation because they wait too long to begin interviewing,” said Janet Gooden, a student assistant at the FAMU Career Center. “Most of the students who sign-up in the career center in time get jobs. If they stick to it, do their resumes and interviews, they will get a job.
“I read that only about 20 percent of students graduate college with a full-time job, and approximately 95 percent of graduates are employed within a year.”
We students aren’t the only ones worrying about life after graduation.
A parent’s worst fear is spending $100,000 over four years to find his or her child back home, jobless and living off Mom and Dad again.
My advice to parents is be as supportive as possible because this is an incredibly confusing time for us. The greatest thing a parent can do for his or her lost and frustrated child is to suggest a visit to the campus career center and job fairs.
Students, I advise you to get motivated early and begin job-hunting at least six months before graduation. Don’t wait until the semester you are graduating to knock on company doors.
Grace Ugalde, 24, is a graduate journalism student from Miami. She can be reached at FSUFAMU5@hotmail.com.