5 Things To Remind Yourself Of Before Graduation
Whether you’re a senior or a graduate student like myself, the end of your time at Syracuse University is rapidly approaching. In my own circumstance as an advertising master’s student, I have a six-week capstone that must be completed post-graduation before I can have my degree and get a real job. With the timing of my next move being less than favorable and all of my final assignments looming over me, you can imagine that I’ve lived through less stressful times. However, there are five things that I remind myself of when that stress becomes too much to deal with:
You’ll get a job. At some point.
Let’s be completely transparent. My anxiety goes through the roof as soon as one person tells me they’ve secured a job. Out of the 17 people in my cohort and the 200+ master’s students at Newhouse, one person having a job makes me feel like my chances of getting one are obsolete. It could even be across the country from where I want to work, and it’ll still freak me out nonetheless. It’s important to remember that you’re going to get rejections, you’re going to get ghosted by companies, and other people are going to find their next move quicker than you do. You will find a job, too. As long as you stay focused and consistent with applications, it will happen eventually. A graduate of Newhouse is not a person without a place in their industry.
It isn’t a requirement to stay in touch with everyone you met.
This is more of an issue for undergrad, because you spend four years building a network of relationships with people you never would have met (most likely) if you had chosen another school. However, it applies to Newhouse master’s students as well because you spend an uncomfortable amount of time with the other people in your program, and often around other Newhouse students. I know far too much about a few of the people in my cohort, and while that has established closer connections (and better workflow) between many of us, I know we all aren’t going to stay in touch indefinitely. You don’t go to school with the primary intention to make friends, so you shouldn’t stress yourself out about maintaining all of your connections. The friends that truly last, when you experience long periods of distance or lifestyle changes from entering the working world, will make themselves known. Everyone else truly won’t matter as much once you’re in the swing of your new life, so don’t waste your time and feelings on what may or may not happen.
Your GPA isn’t more important than your health.
GPA plays a hand in getting you admitted to college, and certainly in your ability to obtain a degree at the end with whichever honors you achieved along the way. When you aren’t planning to continue education, and instead are seeking employment post-graduation, your grades are no longer a pivotal factor in the development of your career. No one is going to ask you what grade you managed to scrape together for a required law class in your final semester when you’re applying for a digital media production position. As long as you pass, you win; if you’re putting yourself through the wringer to get an A, you’re doing too much.
It’s important to thank the people worth thanking.
No one goes through college, undergraduate or graduate, and comes out the other end with skills and experience that they built entirely for themselves. Someone taught you how to do a thing or think a different way. They inspired you to reach for something. They critically evaluated you, helping you foster your strengths and understand your weaknesses. Not every professor or boss plays a big role in your life, but the ones that do have certainly taken time out of their life to push you forward. If you make it known that you remember them and appreciate them, they’ll likely do the same for you.
Plan for what’s within reach.
Now is not the time to be worried about how you’ll pay the mortgage on your future home. It’s also not the time to be planning the interior scheme of the G-Wagon you want, but can’t afford any time soon. If you’re overloaded with tasks, break it down into what’s important to accomplish minute-by-minute. Worry about what you need to worry about now. Even if we’re only students for a few more weeks, that’s a few more weeks that we can deal with what’s actually on our plates and enjoy the freedom that we have left. Student life is chaotic and inconsistent, but it can provide enriching independence if you prioritize and take the time for yourself that you’ve earned.
