Graduation Season

Hello world!

It's been a little while since I've blogging last, but to be honest, not a whole lot has happened since then.  However, I wanted to write a post inspired by the "Life Lessons" section of the Real Simple Magazine May issue.  It's about graduates.  I figured since the title of my blog is what it is (for those reading of FB take a look at the actual blog) and that Saturday marks a year since I graduated college, I should probably write about graduation.

The title of the section I read was along the lines of "What NOT to say to a recent college graduate".  I was very curious, as my adopted (not like on paper) brother, Alex, is graduating in a couple of weeks (CONGRATS!).  I found that as I read, the more memories of emotions from graduation popped into my head.  Not so much the happy memories.  In the article, five questions or statements are featured, all of which I heard when I graduated.  So, before I continue...if you are attending a graduation, keep these in mind.  Graduation is not only a very exciting, relieving, happy time, but it can also be the scariest time for people my age.

1) "What can you do with that degree?"
Well thank you for asking what my Biology degree will do now that I'm not going to medical school...let's see...work in a laboratory, maybe...or go back to school.  I hated this question.  The article suggests that a better question is "What have you learned that will help you do what you enjoy?"  I would agree with this, despite the fact that my answer would have been to hold intellectual conversation with my boyfriend and Phi Sigma Pi Brothers still in that field.  :) 

2) "You should go to law school."
This one kinda cracked me up especially because one person came to mind when i read this (To that person who will remain nameless, I still love you.)  If I wanted to go to law school, my major wouldn't be Biology.  The article states that many go to law school because they think they have to in order to be successful.  In my opinion, if you want to go to law school, go for it!  If you don't, then chances are you probably will not find it as enjoyable or rewarding as going into something that you truly love.

3) "Do you have a job lined up?"
Ha!  Kinda funny, especially in my life now where I'm currently looking for a job.  While I find the question funny when I first read it, in reality this is probably the most terrifying aspect of being a college graduate.  The question that I have always asked myself is where are the jobs that I'm mostly likely to get now that I have a college degree?  The answer: Not always readily available at the moment you graduate or the moment you need it.  The article suggests "offer them any industry connections you have", which is especially nice for people who need a job say a year after completing college. ;)

4) "The economy has been bad before.  You'll get through it."
The article doesn't suggest much other than offering advice through LinkedIn.com (which if you don't have one and are graduating, get one!).  I would just avoid anything like this statement all together.  "You'll get through it," is great and all, until you receive that letter talking about paying off student loans (which thank God I don't have) or bills that come in that you don't have those student loans/scholarships to pay for. 

5) "My fill-in-the-blank relative just got out of college, and she's doing great!'
Fantastic!  That just makes me feel even more insecure and scared that I'm not doing all I can to be "doing great".  At least that's what I really wanted to say a year ago. Encouragement is great, if you don't have to bring up anyone else. Fact: The average time for an ETSU to graduate with a bachelor's degree is now five years, instead of the traditional four.  I would have loved to receive encouragement that said: Ya know, you completed your degree in 4 years, which is impressive.  I know you will be able to continue your career as successfully as obtained your degree.  Let me know how I can help.  That would have been amazing.

Now...before some people get fairly upset with this post, I do want to say that my graduation was awesome.  Having family members that came to Johnson City was probably the best feeling I had when I started this new chapter of my life. 

But anyway, if you are graduating in the upcoming months, CONGRATULATIONS on an awesome accomplishment!  If you have any question, need advice, need someone to listen or anything, especially within this next year, call/email/text me.  I'm here for ya!  If you are attending a graduation in the next month, think about what you're going to say and what you shouldn't say.  This is a time for celebration and welcome to the next chapter in life, not a reminder of how scary the unknown future it.

Will blog soon!