Graduating from college can feel very definitive. It’s the end of this beautiful and strange era of pseudo-adulthood in which you think you’ve learned everything there is to be learned and know about almost everything there is to know. It’s the passing of a milestone that symbolizes the proper transition into adulthood with higher education prospects, full-time employment opportunities, and other possibilities for life after college.
As a soon-to-be senior, I can only begin to understand the complex emotions that come with graduating, but I imagine students feel an array of juxtaposing emotions: excited yet fearful, proud yet humble, triumphant yet lost. And within this growing collection of sentiments, anticipation can certainly bubble to the surface. Up till now, the expectations of what you should be doing with your life seemed pretty clear, and the liberty of finally having the ability to choose can be frightening. And so, the anticipation of what to do next can be overwhelming.
Perhaps the worst part of graduating may be all the neverending cliches you hear. Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the beginning of the rest of your life. Make a difference. You’ll always be a student. They’re littered in every speech, card, and pep talk, and will continue to appear for months to come. But regardless of how annoying these cliches may seem, they do contain some truth to them.
Don’t be afraid of failure
Graduating from Stevens was certainly no easy task, and each degree and major requires its own unique skill set. And while it’s likely that you may have messed up once or twice in college, there’s a possibility that you’ve never made a big “uh-oh” before. There’s also a possibility that you will experience this “uh-oh” sometime in the near future as a new graduate. Even if you have a full-scale 10-year plan, detailed to the minute, chances are that things aren’t going to happen exactly as you plan them to. Failure is inevitable, but growth and rebounding are a choice. You are now fully in control, so don’t let a few roadblocks stop you from getting to your destination.
This is the beginning of the rest of your life
I remember hearing this cliche a lot after graduating from high school. I wasn’t the biggest fan of hearing this because quite frankly, it sounded a little too dramatic. But after a second thought, I think I didn’t like this phrase because it scared me. “The rest of your life” is a phrase that makes life feel so everlasting yet so brief at the same time. In all fairness, this is the beginning of the rest of your life. There are many unique, fun, challenging, difficult, and exciting moments beyond what you experienced in college that are awaiting you, and they all begin now.
Make a difference
A degree holds an immense amount of power, potential, and opportunity. Not only does it show comprehension of a certain specialized topic, but it also mainly shows that you know how to learn, even in the most difficult of circumstances like a pandemic, a school hacking, and all the other personal turmoil you may have faced these past few years. With your degree, you can essentially do anything you want, and when given the choice, choose to do good. Use what you’ve learned to make a difference in a community you connect to.
You’ll always be a student
This is perhaps the biggest cliche of them all, and yet, it’s the most important. If you’re not pursuing a higher degree, this may have been the last time you open a textbook, you’re tested on class material, and you are given a grade. But still, you may find that you learn more than you ever did in your work than you ever did or could think to learn in college. Keep yourself open to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of experiencing life. Never stop learning from other people because you will always meet someone who has something to teach you.
To conclude, I was to give my congratulations to the Class of 2022. Thank you for your dedication to Stevens and the Hoboken community for the past few years. Although the constant list of cliches may become sickening, reflect on the intention behind them, remember them, and follow them. To leave you with one final cliche, remember your roots. Remember your friends, your family, your peers. Remember the things you learned, the questions you asked, the questions other people asked. Remember Stevens, Hoboken, the memories you made here, the lessons you learned here.
The Stute Editorial is an Opinion column written by the current Editor in Chief of The Stute to address and explain editorial decision making, discuss news and media issues, and develop a sense of trust and transparency between readers and members of The Stute.
Be First to Comment