Degree of uncertainty
True life: What next after university?
Since I got my final year college results, 'what next?' is a thought that has been rising more and more to the surface of my soon-to-be qualified brain, as there are some pretty serious questions to be answered in the coming months.
What does the future hold? Where do I go from here? Will I get a decent job? Will I need to go back and do another degree? How come there are so many questions to answer?
Even though it was a decade and a half ago, I can still remember my first day at school quite well. I tell ya, things were different back then. Ireland was in great form after a good showing at the World Cup, there was a Bush in the White House and the Middle East was in all sorts of trouble. Well, it was a little different anyway.
It was an odd experience to undergo after four years of running free, but Primary School was a very happy time, particularly memorable for rote learning of Irish tenses, Credit Union quizzes and epic football matches where 20-18 was a “low score”. In fact, I’m still pretty sure I hold the school’s goal-scoring record (299 in one season, thank you very much.)
After that, I was sentenced to five years of secondary school for a crime I didn’t commit. Of course, it wasn’t all bad by any stretch, and both the good and bad experiences you gain in secondary school are great preparation for the sometimes-harsh life outside the classroom. And exams of course. That was a pretty big thing, too…
And then there was Galway. Believe me, all the rumours you hear about college are true, it’s undoubtedly the most consistently happy time of any student’s life. And yet, three years later it’s all over, with only the myriad of memories to sustain you. So now that I’ve condensed 16 years of formal education in less than 200 words, what next?
A considerable amount of new graduates will pursue their education with a postgrad of some sort, in the hope that an extra qualification will make their CV more appealing to future employers, or indeed to undergo more specific training for their future career. It can also be a line to pursue if you’re not totally sure what you want to do just yet, or you’re not quite ready to leave college and can gain some extra knowledge into the bargain.
For those who want a bit of a break before they go back to college or indeed into the workforce, they could do worse than to travel for a while. The chance to broaden your horizons has never been more widely available, and if you’ve notions of seeing a bit of the world before you settle down into a routine, now is definitely the time to do it.
Of course, if you’re lucky enough to have already got a job through placement or whatever, then you’ve been fast tracked into the big bad world! Just make sure that you’re not stuck on that magic roundabout from now til infinity, as once you’re in and working, it can be hard to regain that freedom to do other things.
Now is without doubt the most uncertain time of our lives, as the safety net of school is officially swept from under us, but you know what? That makes it all the more exciting…
Best of luck to everyone graduating this year, and whatever it is you decide to do, it’s great to know that at least you can.
By: Paddy Duffy
This article is part of the SpunOut.ie true life stories section – a space for young people to share their experiences of tough times and encourage others to seek help. This story is just one person's experience and it may be different for you. Remember that no matter what you are going through, there is help and support available. See the Find help section for more information: http://www.spunout.ie/help/
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