Life after college — to some, it’s a mystery; to others, it’s long past due.
The Dixie Sun News asked seniors set to graduate after this spring semester whether or not they consider themselves prepared.
While some said their exact plans of action were set in stone, others said they were content with winging their graduate careers.
Megan Tibbs, a senior dental hygiene major from Las Vegas, said she is “beyond ready” for graduation day.
“I am so excited to get out in the real world, make money and pay off student loans,” Tibbs said. “I feel like my teachers have prepared me, and I have been a great student. I am excited to get on with my life.”
Brittany Hammontree, a senior biology major from Pahrump, Nev., said she has a specific game plan for post-graduation. She said she’s applying to complete dual masters’ programs for a degree in public health as well as a degree to become a physician’s assistant.
“I am ready to graduate in the sense that I feel like I have gained enough knowledge to move on, but not in the sense that I could absolutely continue to learn more,” Hammontree said. “(However), I am terribly nervous. I mean, how do you not get nervous about stepping out into the real world and officially being a grown-up? That’s always a little terrifying, but it’s exciting at the same time.”
Unlike Hammontree, Justin Hope, a senior CIT major from West Jordan, said he intends to see where life takes him after he graduates because he feels his major lent him a wide array of options to select a career path.
While Hope doesn’t have a specific idea of where he’s going to work, he does plan to move to the state of Washington and start from there. He said he’s not concerned about exploring life after graduation, and he’s ready to take a “shotgun” approach.
“You know, a lot of people talk about how they don’t want to get out, but I’m ready to be done,” Hope said. “With doing all of my core classes, I’ve found out what I really like to do, and it’s kind of hard going to all the other classes where it’s just something you have to get done to graduate. At this point, it’s just busy work. I know what I like to do and I want to get out there and do it.”
Dakota Cory, a senior communication major from Salt Lake City, said his graduation game plan consists of working as a massage therapist to first save up money. Then, he plans to move to California and search for jobs in public relations.
Above all, Cory said success after graduation has a lot to do with attitude, and he’s already adopted the optimum mindset.
“I just have that mentality of win, win, win, so it’s going to be awesome,” Cory said. “I am most definitely prepared. I’m ready to start making money.”
