Gwen Henry | Illustrato
What are your intentions post-graduation? Where are you completing your summer internship? What is your field of study — and what are your aspirations in that regard? What other engagements are you pursuing?
The inquiries regarding our future trajectories appear to be ceaseless and draining. Whether from new arrivals to departing seniors, the pressure to have everything mapped out can be overwhelming.
For freshmen, the focus may revolve around selecting majors, potential minors, or altering academic paths. Sophomores and juniors face the looming task of securing summer placements or engaging in new extracurricular activities to enhance their resumes. And unsurprisingly, seniors contend with a barrage of queries about post-graduation plans.
While these questions often stem from genuine curiosity among friends and family, the underlying anxiety they provoke is unjust. To those posing these questions, please exercise mindfulness. While it’s a good starting point for a conversation, chances are the individual has fielded similar queries multiple times that week. Allow them the agency to broach the topic themselves.
Moreover, these topics of discussion are prevalent among our peers, sometimes fostering an unhealthy and competitive environment.
Scrolling through LinkedIn can be daunting at this juncture, inundated with posts proclaiming “I’m delighted to announce…”. It may appear that you are in the minority among friends or classmates sharing updates about their acceptance into graduate programs or internships. However, for those grappling with uncertainty about the upcoming years, know that you are not alone.
Taking a moment to breathe and focusing on embracing the present can serve as initial steps. Refrain from allowing the pressure of crafting a future plan detract from your day-to-day college encounters. Seeking guidance and counsel from peers, professors, or family members is another constructive approach.
Furthermore, Baylor extends support to students navigating through uncertainties. [ppp1] is a valuable resource for students exploring various academic paths. The [ppp2] facilitates students in joining or establishing organizations aligned with their interests. Additionally, the Career Center provides a myriad of resources for job hunts, alumni networking, and more.
If you are yet to secure a job or summer internship — or if you are still undecided on your major — that is perfectly acceptable. It’s okay not to have a definitive career path at this stage. Your starting point in college and immediately post-graduation merely serves as a foundation for your future endeavors.
At 18-22 years old, we have our entire lives ahead of us. Everything will fall into place, even if it unfolds differently than anticipated.