I can’t wait until I’m in fourth year and ready to graduate. All those all-nighters and spending my days in the UTM library will soon pay off. Oh, that lovely HBSc! Then I’ll be set for grad school. I’ll buy my parents a nice house pay for my sister’s education and travel the world…
Wait a moment!
What if I do terribly in my last two years? I wouldn’t get into grad school, or complete my bucket list. And how again will I be paying for all these endeavours? I need to find a job.
Another thing, how will I get a job, if I have no experience? How will I get accustomed to the “outside world”? I’ll miss seeing my friends and favourite profs around campus. There are so many places on campus to get help with everything. What will happen when I graduate?
It’s a bittersweet feeling, isn’t it? The closer we get to graduation, the more things I become aware of. Paying back loans, looking for volunteer opportunities, having to make new friendships, new support systems, make my own dinners! The list is endless. At the same time, I’m also looking forward to that sense of freedom and new experiences the professional world will bring.
The closer I get to graduating, the more I’m learning that the key to embracing the change is balance. Start keeping track of all the important dates and events coming up. Become your own accountant! Keep tabs on how much you spend, and how much you need to save! Start improving that resume and cover letter. The Career Centre at UTM can help make them job-worthy in no time! Take time out of your hectic schedule to go to the gym, take a walk, maybe catch a movie with your squad. Graduation and the time leading up to it is bittersweet, but we just have to go with it and keep our goals in check!
