Life After College

Carolina has something called the University Career Services, which is an AMAZING resource to use when searching for jobs and internships. I figure that I just need to put my toes into the water of some different fields to get a feel for what I enjoy.

Oh, yes, the few words that can bring either fear or excitement to any college student—in particular juniors and seniors. For me, it definitely brings fear. I chose to major in areas that certainly don’t have definite career paths. Being an English and Communication Studies double major, I am learning several skills that will help me in numerous fields, but I don’t have specific talents that place me in a certain career. For example, I have several friends who are in the business school or taking pre-Med classes. These people are specialized in a field of study, and have a good idea of where they are going and what they will have to do to get there.

I, on the other hand, am well trained to write, work efficiently in groups, and give great customer service. These are skills that every person should have, but I am told are rare finds in today’s world. The fact is that I love my majors, and am learning a lot, but it’s scary to think that there isn’t one place that I’ll go after graduation to find what I want to do.

Carolina has something called the University Career Services, which is an AMAZING resource to use when searching for jobs and internships. I figure that I just need to put my toes into the water of some different fields to get a feel for what I enjoy. My point is that I’m learning to be okay with not having a definite career path—I think it’s nice to have options, however unnerving it can be.

As of now I am planning on getting an internship this summer, perhaps with a consulting firm. As much as I would rather travel around Europe, I feel that it is in my best interest to develop some kind of relationship with the real world (which, up until now, I have been avoiding like the plague). After I graduate, I imagine I will travel a good bit and keep my job waiting tables while applying to different jobs. Perhaps I’ll wait and go to graduate or law school (a good way to plan ahead is to take the LSAT your senior year).

My advice to incoming students would be to have some sort of goal in mind, or to just keep an open mind. Getting involved in different organizations is a great way to learn about what you love. Unfortunately, my job has kept me from having a lot of time to donate to extracurriculars, but I’m learning other valuable things instead—for instance, as of now I am virtually monetarily self-sufficient.

I know that my future will be exciting and worthwhile, wherever it takes me, because I won’t settle for less. I’m not trying to fill my resume up and gather all possible ‘connections’ to the business world. Right now I’m concentrating on my academics, looking into different career paths, and saving money to travel—I am in no hurry to grow up and start the 9 to 5 job; I know there are more important things. My main goal is learning about who I am and what I want, and from there, wherever I end up, I’m sure I will fit in perfectly.