Majorly cold feet

Graduation is near, so you only have a couple months left in the ECU bubble of life. You’re so used to having a part-time job, doing schoolwork and just having fun. But what happens when you join the world, no longer as a college student? Life after college is not always as magical as you expect. There’s so much new pressure. There is no ratemyboss.com or university excused absences or snow days or such thing as classes that don’t require attendance. There will be a new way of doing things, so get ready.

What happens if you have cold feet about your degree or lost your passion? If it is something that you loathe, talk to your adviser to figure out a new option. At least all the classes you complete don’t go to waste: some count as electives or fill the general requirements. You can even create a multidisciplinary minor. The point is, not all hope is lost. Sure, you will graduate later than expected, but it is better to be in a program that you don’t despise. If you dread it now, chances are it will only get worse.

Sometimes you will end up experiencing a frustrating degree-related problem. Since I am trying to complete my English degree, I have to complete four levels of a foreign language. I chose Italian, which I absolutely love. I am currently enrolled in the second level and recently discovered that reaching level four is impossible due to the availability of the class and my graduation plans. The verdict: I have to do four levels of Spanish instead. I was frustrated at the fact that I would have to give up Italian and start up another language. Somehow when I took the placement test, I placed into level three! Those years in high school and even Italian helped me out. Even though this dilemma made a bump in my plans, I have to get over it.

Being the Van Wilder of school does not mean that you have expired; you’ve just got a delay. As frustrating as it is to be a passenger on a delayed flight that ends up being reworked, you will eventually arrive at your destination. Maybe they accidentally booked you for first class and you’ll end up sitting next to a celebrity. Believe me, this could definitely happen.

What if you start thinking about what you are going to do with your degree without a guaranteed job? Don’t panic, everyone has trouble finding their perfect job. Maybe that time-consuming internship wants to hire you immediately or there’s suddenly a better job opening at your work. Sometimes pure luck or raw talent can work for your advantage. You never know what opportunities you’ll end up with or how much networking can help. Find an internship and build that portfolio. The fact that you have a college degree is a strong start and makes you a better candidate for the job world.

Natalie Portman received a degree in psychology at Harvard after four years. She pursued her degree, but she ended up with an acting career. You never know what the future holds! You have to be a go-getter and prepared for opportunities. Having backup plans can even help you out. If you have to be in a waitress in New York for a while in order to keep your internship, or if you have to retake that MCAT and do some more volunteer hours to get into that medical school, do it. Most of the time, you have to work for what you want. If Natalie Portman never made it in the acting world, she could have started another career path with her degree.

When graduation rolls around, don’t listen to your grumpy relative who thinks that you wasted your time at college and received a stupid degree. Don’t worry that you don’t have a guaranteed job or your dream career is not happening yet. You did it: you are graduating college. So what if things don’t fit perfectly into your plans? Keep a “Hello, World! This is me” attitude. Your life may end up taking an unexpected turn, but having an open mind is key.

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.