Graduation day is almost here, how do you feel?
The semester might be dragging for some but for others it has gone incredible fast without leaving much of a chance to think about what is to come. There is a certain responsibility that follows graduation that might scare you, however, let’s remember everything you’ve already faced head on and overcome. The world faced an obstacle that forced our daily life to be flipped upside down. As a student, you spent almost three semesters learning to isolate yourself in a lonely space, learned new forms of communicating and passed classes while worrying for your health and the health of others. It could have been easier to take a break from school as the world regained strength, but you waited patiently while your professor’s learned how to use zoom, designated a little area in your room for class, and went the extra mile to learn the curriculum without the help and encouragement of a campus, professors, and classmates.
Even without having been through a pandemic, school is difficult. It challenges you in ways you should trust that it prepares you for the future. You’ve learned to meet deadlines, communicate with superiors, collaborate with peers on projects and you’ve learned to learn! In any job that might scare you because you might feel unprepared, just remember the research and studying you did for exams that you would not have passed otherwise. In any job, there will be moments you won’t know what to do because maybe that wasn’t a part of CSUF’s curriculum, but they did prepare you to study and as long as you make an effort to learn on the job, then you are worth that companies time and money.
Finals week might feel chaotic, stressful, and exciting and then post-graduation will slow down tremendously. Remember, it’s the break you deserve! It is not a punishment or an actual portrayal of what your life will be like forever. The right jobs will come at the right time and everyone’s timeline is different. Trust in yourself and the confidence will attract the right people. For now, reflect on the hard work you’ve done and walk proudly at your commencement ceremony in the fresh air among all of your peers that you know have also had a difficult year in isolation.
Congratulations, Titans!
