Every graduating student has experienced some type anxiety about what they will do after college, but there is help available. Students on campus can confer with their academic advisors for advice, check out the career center to gets questions answered about life after graduation, ask a professor for help or look to online sources for guidance.
“The semester before a student graduates, they should touch base with their academic advisor to make sure all the appropriate degree requirements have been satisfied, learn about the application deadline for graduation, and any other requirements. They should also work with Career Services and their faculty to help ease their transition into the workforce,” Amanda Graham Spencer, director for the University Academic Advising said.
Abby Thoma, a senior, shared her conflicted feelings of anxiousness and excitement. “I’m nervous. What am I going to do after graduation is the question,” she said. Thoma believes students should plan early, “get ahead before finals approach as you won’t have time do anything then and do it early.”
It can be beneficial to create lists about what needs to be done, check to make sure all requirements have been fulfilled to graduate, turn to family and friends for help and take a moment to calm your nerves before graduation occurs.
“If a student has worked effectively with their academic advisor, Career Services and/or faculty they will probably have a post-graduation career plan, which would help alleviate possible anxiety about life after graduation,” Spencer shared.
Whether it’s getting organized early, creating a plan of action at the last moment, turning to a trusted resource like the career center or academic advising for help — there are multiple ways a student can tackle their graduation fears.
