By Gabby Carlson | Echo
Graduation is upon us. In less than a month, hundreds of students will walk across the stage to receive the recognition that encompasses all they have accomplished in the last four years. Out of the black-robed crowd, some are going into jobs, some have internships and some are clueless about where that piece of paper will take them. These six 2016 graduates of Taylor reflected on their last days on campus. While some are working within the bounds of the courses they took at Taylor, others have gone in new directions they wouldn't have dreamed of a year ago.
Is what you are doing after your time at Taylor what you thought it would be like?
Emily Cho, Exercise Science ('16): Absolutely not! And I find this quite hilarious. I graduated just last year with my B.S. in Exercise Science, so I figured I would be working in the fitness industry by now. However, within this last year I've been exploring some other routes as I've been a barista at Starbucks, worked at a YMCA and worked as a health coach/screener. I actually started my new job as a Project Coordinator for a big technology company this week! If you would've told me that I wouldn't be working in the fitness industry a year ago, I would've called you crazy.
Rachel Williams, Christian Education ('16): Yes and no. I'm the Children's Minister on staff at a church, and to be embarrassingly honest, I thought I had things pretty figured out due to all my schooling and internship experience in my field. As far as my career goes, it is going pretty much as expected (of course with some twists and turns and tons of mistakes made along the way). But something I didn't anticipate was the rhythmic monotony that life after college can take on. As much as I love using the gifts God has given me and my education in real-life settings, there is something about the busyness and bustle of college that I actually miss from time to time (not that life for me isn't busy, it's just not the same!).
How did Taylor prepare you for what you are doing now and how you are living your life?
Lizzie Wilson, Graphic Design ('16): To be honest, this first year out of college has been the hardest of my life. After graduation last May, I went home to Ohio for three weeks and then moved my life to Texas. In a lot of ways, Taylor didn't and maybe couldn't prepare me for what I've experienced since graduating. On a career level, Taylor helped set the foundation for me as a designer with just enough experience to get the job, but there is an incredible amount of learning that happens on the job that can't be taught in a classroom. You have to learn by doing. Not only do you learn the skills necessary to perform your job, but you also have to learn the ins and outs of your particular company (mission, values, company leadership and politics) and how you now fit into all that and what you have to offer.
Hannah Harvey, Christian Education ('16): I currently work in a church in human resources and also as an after-school junior high teacher for at-risk youth. Taylor's focus on discipleship is really unique compared to what other colleges or churches even offer, which isn't something I realized until I left the Taylor bubble. Taylor taught me how to articulate what I've learned, how I've grown in my faith and how to continue to pursue lifelong learning. This means willingly stepping into confrontation when problems arise in the workplace, redefining my definition of success to reflect what the Word says is success, and constantly reflecting on what I can learn and who I can learn from.
Michael Kammes, Computer Science ('16): I think Taylor did an excellent job preparing me for "the real world." I feel extremely competent in my job and have already seen my education play into advancements at work. I was able to wisely pick a church that held the values I wanted and have been very involved with the community there. I think Taylor prepares its students to flourish in all aspects of life instead of just one aspect of it. I see some of my friends who went to some very reputable schools who are killing it at work or knocking it out of the park at church or (socializing) and networking very well, but I rarely see any of them put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
How has your lifestyle changed since Taylor?
Cho: My senior year at Taylor I was able to live in Wolgemuth Hall, which was great and so much fun. Now I'm living at home with my family, and it has definitely taken some time to get used to. It's not ideal, but it is the smartest thing to do for me financially, and it's still good to spend time with my family. The other main change I've had to adjust to is missing my Taylor friends and community. During my time at Taylor I was able to make friends from all over the world, and it was so fun and easy to run down the hall or across the street to see someone and hang out. Now with friends from all over, I definitely miss that sense of community and accessibility to spend time (with) friends. So I've learned how to improve my "keeping in touch" skills with friends!
Harvey: I think I've become way more disciplined since leaving Taylor. I've created a budget (for the first time in my life), I have weekly commitments to Bible study and small group and designated "nights off." I work from 9-6 and have a regular sleep schedule. However, I've noticed that I am going to be responsible for pursuing lifelong learning on my own time. I'm not required to go to class to learn, read certain books or complete evaluations after an event. Therefore, I have to become more disciplined and pursue those opportunities on my own, whether that means joining a Bible study, borrowing books, having lunch with a coworker, watching a webinar or attending a conference.
Kammes: My lifestyle after Taylor has changed dramatically. I now have deadlines that have much more meaning than turning in a project late and getting points off on it. In my job, if I miss deadlines, I am usually costing the business thousands, and potentially millions, of dollars. But I think the biggest change in my lifestyle is the level of autonomy that I operate with on a daily basis. Every day I make hundreds of choices, and not a single one involves my parents, my dorm roommate or my professor. Instead I have to decide how I'm going to spend my money, and it is hard to make the right choice. The level of freedom from high school to college is drastic, but the jump from college to post-college is even larger. No one makes decisions for you and you have to be strong, smart and self-sufficient to survive.
Do you have advice for graduating seniors on how to adjust to life after college?
Brian Wynalda, Biology ('16): My advice for graduating seniors is to not expect a whole lot, and to just keep pushing. Life after school can be extremely boring, every job has its own type of monotony that will become unbearable if you let it. Find joy in the small victories throughout your days.Take something like a small compliment from a supervisor or a funny conversation with a coworker and focus on that, those little things will keep you from counting down the hours until your next day off. Stay connected with your group of friends and with your family, short phone calls or text conversations go a long way.
Wilson: The number one thing I've learned this year is that it's okay-actually so good-to ask questions (and) to be in a place of vulnerability and to have no idea what you're doing. I've grown to see and know God in a completely different way and reach out to people when I'm in need. It's still so hard, but I have more perspective now that it's been almost a year, and I can look back and see so much growth already. And one last thing: you are never, ever alone in this. I have never felt more lonely in all my life than I have this year, but there are people all around you who have been through this before you and understand the feeling. Reach out.
Kammes: Seniors: soak up every bit of Taylor you can while you still have the opportunity. The community there is special, and you need to enjoy it, but after you move out of Upland, be sure to have a plan. After college, you don't have a life advisor who guides you. So come up with a plan. That plan can be tackling the student debt you just accrued over the last four years, or it can be move out of mom and dad's house ASAP. Whatever your plan is will be unique to you, but you need to have one, otherwise you'll soon find that you're wasting a boatload of time not working toward any of your goals.
Williams: My advice to graduating seniors on how to adjust to life after college is simple: create good habits. This next year is in some ways going to set the tone for how you're going to function independently in life. Be intentional in forming your lifestyle in that first year.
