California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Graduation Is Just The Beginning

    Graduating seniors shouldn’t be so worried for the future. Cal Lutheran has many resources for alumni to take advantage of.ย 

    As May 13 comes around, Iโ€™ve noticed the anxiety in my peers more and more each day. Graduation is coming, and it is probably one of the scariest times seniors have to face.

    Graduating college is a huge milestone in life, and it is perfectly normal to be apprehensive about it. Seniors are going through the stress of leaving a comforting place and going out into the real world.

    โ€œIโ€™m excited to have successfully completed my college career, but Iโ€™m definitely sad to leave all the amazing people Iโ€™ve developed relationships with at CLU,โ€ graduating senior Delaney Whitted said.

    Finishing college means getting a job, going out into the world on your own and being a responsible adult. Student loans, rent and bills are coming sooner than we thought.

    โ€œI do get nervous when I think about graduating, real life is about to start which is a scary thoughtโ€, Whitted said.

    As a senior, I hear so many of my peers talking about what they are doing after college. Some seniors have signed onto jobs starting in the summer, and some donโ€™t even know what job field they want to get into, which is also OK.

    According to the Washington Post article โ€œOnly 27 Percent of College Grads Have a Job Related to Their Majorโ€, โ€œmany jobs donโ€™t really require a specific field of study.โ€

    That being said, it is normal to not know what you want to do when youโ€™re 21 or 22 years old. After all, you do pick your major at such a young age. There are lots of job opportunities out there, and you can apply for whichever one you see fit.

    Students are applying and interviewing for jobs at this point of the year, and it gets stressful. We are all feeling the pressure, and many of us are freaking out.

    โ€œI have been applying to several marketing coordinator positions around the Los Angeles area, but have yet to hear back from any job prospects. I do plan to work right out of college,โ€ Whitted said.

    2017 seniors, you are going to be just fine.

    Cal Lutheran Student Empowerment Coordinator and career counselor Shelby Bowman said, โ€œ97 percent of Cal Lutheran 2016 alumni are either in graduate programs or have full time jobs.โ€

    There are many reasons to be nervous about graduating, but there are some ways to cope with that apprehension.

    First of all, students should know that all seniors are going through the same thing, so talk to your friends about it. Know that you are not alone, and most people are just as scared as you.

    Career Services at California Lutheran is a huge resource to use not only as a student, but as alumni of the school too. Career Services helps with career finding as well as graduate programs and recommendation letters.

    โ€œThe Career Service center helps students figure out what they want to do based on personality and skills, and we then help students find that job with our job search,โ€ Bowman said.

    Career Services is a great source to use. They provide tests to figure out what kind of job a specific student might enjoy. Once finding a job, they help students and alumni write resumes, do mock interviews, and apply for the job.

    Seniors, we only have a month left of our undergraduate careers, so letโ€™s get excited about the new adventures ahead. Letโ€™s make the most out of our college experience and prepare for our lives, whether itโ€™s graduate school, work or wherever life decides to take us.

    Dakota Himmelman
    Staff Writer