Graduation: The number one dreaded word for all seniors. There’s nothing scarier than the thought of putting on that cap and gown and bidding Bucknell adieu. It’s not so much the actual act of graduating that’s daunting as it is the uncertainty of what the future holds. What is life like without that rectangular piece of plastic that has an inevitably terrible picture of you on it? How do you pay for food? No longer are your dollars simply invisible declining dollars. Now they are real, and it hurts to watch them disappear. No longer does toilet paper miraculously appear in the bathroom when you know you were the last one to finish the roll. This is the real world, and we all have to enter it at some point.
One thing that may be worse than the actual word “graduation” is the question: “What are your plans for after graduation?” Deep down, the curiosity and interest are appreciated. But this is the scariest time in each of our lives and constantly asking that question just makes it scarier. The level of panic doesn’t change much from person to person either based on whether or not they have a job; thoughts of the future are still scary. This is the first time we are expected be completely independent and take accountability for all of our actions. There is no university to fall back on, no point system to wiggle our way out of, and no Lisa Lapp to give a parking ticket that disappears onto a charge on our b-bill accounts. Yes, parents are still around, but new expectations of responsibility and independence are set. I, for one, have no idea what I’m doing 3 months from now. And I don’t think I need to. But by being asked that question, I feel like I should have some sort of grand answer, some great plan that impresses everyone who asks. And I just don’t.
Although it’s a taunting, anxiety-ridden time, it also brings about a sense of excitement. This is one of the only times where you have no real obligations or responsibilities tying you down. It’s a chance to do absolutely anything you want – get a job, travel the world, go to graduate school, teach English abroad, enter the Peace Corps…the options are truly endless. Those who already have a job are about to start a new lifestyle with a real salary and career path. Those who are choosing to go to graduate school are lucky enough to know exactly what they want be one day and how to achieve that goal. Those who are choosing to take time off are going to gain an unforgettable experience and invaluable knowledge.
If I’ve learned anything as a senior it’s that there is no right path to follow post-graduation and there is no right answer to those who ask what we want to be, what our plans are, or where we wish to go. The path is different for each of us. For a long time, I felt like there were these expectations set that I needed to meet: get a job, move to New York, and pay off loans. But that’s not always the right answer. Jumping into something too quickly just to have steady ground to fall on can lead to unhappiness and even more anxiety. And in the end, our happiness is what matters most. We didn’t spend four years at Bucknell learning and growing, both academically and personally, to go off into the world and live unhappily. Getting a job and going to graduate school are both excellent, but there is nothing wrong with taking time off to meditate on what is best for you as well. We will all be successful in our own way, and that’s something we need to remember as the days to graduation quickly approach.