What's Next? Tips on Being Close to Graduating College

By Andreas Fanos on November 15, 2017

It’s at that point in the year: the end of the semester inching closer and the work piling on from many different courses and other internships. It is the point in time, graduation. The time where college students go out into the real world, where we have to be adults and get a job. An occupation consisting of a 9 to 5. The stress levels are at an all-time high, but once it’s over it will be missed and all the hard work will have been for something greater beyond thinking.

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I am about to close out another chapter in my life in about a month and a half, and that is graduating from a university. I never thought it would have gone by this fast, but it truly has. The time really flew by. I can remember my first time moving into my dorm and going to classes on the first day. The nervousness, if I belonged here in the first place. I can honestly state that every single experience or decision has made me who I am today, for better or worse. Going to college I learned a lot and I worked hard for my degree. And I formed bonds with people that can never be broken.

I am set to graduate this semester due to the fact that this is my extra semester. Some advice I would give to anyone in college is to not rush the process. If you have to take fewer classes or a lesser workload, do it. If you have to take a semester off, do it. If you need extra help, seek it because it should not be a rush.

So what’s really next after college? Getting a full-time job within your major or concentration. Finish off the internships that you are currently doing, and start applying for jobs on websites. All of this can be pretty scary at first, however, it is what a person needs to do to be successful in life.

And a key thing to do as a senior or being close to graduating is to not slack off. It can be hard to not do it, but it should be avoided at all costs. Do the work and do not think because it is the end that you don’t have to work hard anymore. It is a chance to improve grades and build connections with professors and students. Student loans are a huge topic in college and it is good to have a job right after school or sooner than later to start paying off the debt and save money at the same time.

Another thing to think about after graduating or even before is if you want to go to graduate school. It will depend on your specific major or if you really want to pursue it. There will be plenty of time to think about it after graduation too, though.

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I know that I am truly going to miss the college experience and school itself. I will miss the long fleeting nights of hanging out with friends and having a good time. Or the freedom to do whatever I wanted to without anyone telling me what to do. Or going to some cool on-campus events and sporting events. But I will not forget the sleepless nights, the obstacles that were thrown my way, or how hard I had to work to get good grades in all my classes. One thing I surely won’t miss about college is the homework and projects, but other than that I will miss a lot about college.

I was actually almost kicked out of college for low grades at one point partly because I overloaded myself with six courses, but it was my fault as well. I had to wake up and I did. I bounced back after that dreadful semester sophomore year. More importantly, I did what I was set out to do and what I wanted to do, pursue and get a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in History. And I got a degree in what I loved to do, period.

If I could really tell people something important to do it would be to do what you love. Something that you have a passion for, something that never is boring, that you always want to improve in, something that you want with every fiber of your being. For me, it was writing. With about a month and a half left of the semester, I look towards getting a job in writing and journalism and taking off my career to unparallel heights.

And what everyone should know is that if I could graduate college, so can you. Through all the hardships and setbacks, I was able to overcome it all. I’m just a kid from Short Hills, New Jersey that had a dream and I made it happen. I will be the only member of my family to have graduated from a university. Now, I will be closing another chapter and starting another.

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