The journey continues: A recent college grad’s perspective of learning and life
Sep. 20, 2013 at 08:00 AM | By Laura Kyle | Comment Count
For many students, graduating college brings about celebratory sentiments. The prospect of (potentially) never having to attend school again creates a sense of ease and joy for an individual who, in the last few years, has devoted all waking hours to studying, writing papers, sitting in the library, looking for networking opportunities, and more. Speaking from the perspective of a recent graduate, I can say that these were all feelings I experienced. However, I quickly learned that just because school ends, that doesn’t mean that learning stops . . . ever.
Many of us are taught that if we work hard in high school, we will get into a decent college. If we do well in college, we will find a good job and lead happy and successful lives. Unfortunately for many, it’s not such a simple trajectory into the so-called “real world.” Finding a job is incredibly difficult, and we quickly discover that there are some things our college education simply couldn’t prepare us for. Most of us don’t fully discover what we want to do with the rest of our lives by the time graduation comes around. This is where the true role of higher education becomes clear: to help prepare us to continue the journey of discovering our passions and interests, encourage us to be curious and engaged citizens, and finally, to never stop learning and experiencing the world.
Whether you attended a university, academy, college, seminary, institute of technology, vocational school, or career school, there will always be some degree of questioning after graduation. These forms of higher education are not designed to clear a direct path for each student who walks through the door, but rather, to foster the development of either a specific or broad array of skills that an individual must use to take on new challenges and identify opportunities. Donna Shalala, president of the University of Miami and keynote speaker for the Naviance Summer Institute of 2013, was quoted saying that “in the 21st century, education is a lifeline; a higher education isn’t an end in itself but is a means for new beginnings.”
Recent graduates should therefore be encouraged not to see an ending, but a new beginning with new opportunities and challenges as they embark on their next journey.
Students that are fortunate enough to have a quality educational experience, learn not only from their instructors, but also from the people they meet, and by taking the opportunity to explore new ideas and discover new interests. While some may have an idea of the next step after college, higher education also teaches us that the world is a fast paced and changing place. The goals and interests we have one year may not be the same the next year. Keeping this uncertainty in mind, recent graduates must continue moving forward, knowing that regardless of the path taken, they have been given tools and skills needed to navigate their own lives.
After I graduated from college, I found myself at odds with the absence of a routine that once permeated my everyday life. The familiarity of moving from classroom to classroom and always being in school was suddenly over. I boarded a plane and moved to Washington D.C. for an internship, after years of living less than an hour away from my family and friends. When I arrived to what would be my new home for the next few months, I found a message written on a mug that was perfect for my, and any recent grad’s situation. It read, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Formal education works to build a foundation of learning we can put to use as we see fit. The rest, however, is up to us. It’s time to embrace the discomfort, take on the changes, and never stop learning and growing.
Similar Education Advocate articles:
Will High School Students Get LinkedIn?
8 Secrets Revealed About the College Search Process
Rethinking Diversity in Education
Want more? Don't forget to submit your e-mail in the field above to subscribe to Hobsons Education Blog and recieve weekly updates.
blog comments powered by Disqus