What Next after University Graduation

What next after campus?

This is the most disturbing question that lingers the minds of many students in their final years. After school, where shall they go? Will they travel back to the village or to their relatives in the city? What lies ahead seems totally unknown. And while they are finally getting out of the tunnel of education, it seems like it is a beginning of another tunnel.

After campus is one of the times which is associated with a lot of uncertainty. Growing up, we knew very well that after primary school we would join high school and then University. All these at most just come automatically, provided you pass the exams.

Now, what about after campus? It seems we have come at the cross roads and we do not know which path to take.  The paths seem unclear to many of the students. Dilemma looms even when one is offered several paths to take. What if this is not the path I want to take?

With increasing cost of living and high of unemployment, it becomes a challenge for fresh graduates with no experience to transition to the world.  Great expectations of high salary working in great companies and earning 5 or 6 figure salary are soon shattered by under paid internship, staying in a bedsitter and having huge bills to pay.

When you get out there, you start to understand life better. It moves from ideal to reality and you start to understand how hard it can be to secure a job, make ends meet and how it is just hard out there.

Life Without Exams

Yeah, we often tend to think of things we will be relieved when finish school. Exams, assignments cats and rats will end. But remember now we will live a life without exams and cats. As you look forward to life free from much study and burning of midnight oil, we must be ready for the exams, cats and rats of the devil himself for he seeks to tempt us and destroy us every now and then.

And before I forget this, the student loans. You will live a life without student loans. Be ready to stay without Helb. In fact, the government will be in your neck demanding that you start paying your loan.

The support you got from people will reduce greatly. The number of people who stood with you for four years will likely withdraw their support. Your parents may soon start telling you their challenges and expecting you to send them something.

The expectations other people have from you will also increase. Now that you are no longer a student, people will start expecting to live in a certain way. Here you will have to earn to disappoint people. Do not live what you are not. Do not live beyond your means.

Increased cost of living will catch up with you. Paying bills and cost of transport. For those who stayed at the hostels, perhaps you enjoyed free internet connected, free electricity and no water bills. You were perhaps used to warm your water without having a concern about electricity bills. Be prepared to adjust your lifestyle as you get out there. If you can do without it, it is not necessary.

Securing a job is going to be a challenge but you need not to give up. Do not have high expectations but rather take what comes your way and be thankful for it. When you get a job, even if pay is bad, if it reaches bare minimum please take it and work.

Perhaps you will also move to another town, meet new people and make friends. You will also get into a new church. The social gatherings you were used to might become a thing of the past. While it is good for you to keep contacts, it might be difficult to keep your social gatherings close as it used to be.

These are some of the things that I thought as I left campus today. I don’t really know what is the next thing for me but I pray for the Lords guidance. It can get as difficult as it can be. There are so many uncertainties about life after campus. All I know is that the Lord is able to make it good but even if he does not do it, I remain faithful to Him.

Seek to gain experience through internship, job shadowing and volunteer work. As you start building your career, focus more on getting experience than just having better pay. You may miss a lot you can learn while just focusing on the few coins.

To have a good job with a decent pay, you need experience. But for you get experience, you need a job. This cyclic loop can make you remain jobless and therefore there is a need to look for the experience without focusing on the pay first.

Your career path will probably have many twists and turns. You will climb and descend many times until finally you get yourself at the top. You may apply for jobs and never be invited for interview. You may go for interviews and get a no as an answer. That is one of the most hurting thing to hear. We have been told that a lot. Do not give up. Continue with the same energy.

In Conclusion, remember to be diligent in whatever you, as to the Lord and not to man. Do not lose hope. God has said that He shall never leave us nor forsake us. And He cannot forsake us. I am wishing all the campus finalists and graduates the best in future.