“College is the best four years of your life.”
This mantra has filled the ears of our generation for what seems like our entire lives. The allure of breaking out on our own, in a place seemingly designed for our entertainment, has caused college to become a sort of holy land in the eyes of adolescents. But after years of waiting to finally become a college student, it has come to an end so quickly.
As the 2019 school year comes to a close, so too do many seniors' college careers. A student’s college experience is filled with memories that will last a lifetime, making this nerve-racking and exciting time bittersweet.
Four years fly by in an instant. From having to start over freshman year, to facing the same challenge once again four years later post-graduation, it can seem as if life has been thrown into overdrive. With a quick turnaround from childhood to adulthood, feeling unprepared and intimidated by the days ahead is normal.
For many students, taking on life after college can be quite a daunting task. The difference in post-grad life and college life can be quite stark. For the first time there is no green-lit path to success.
But it may not be as scary as it seems.
Here at USC, we have many resources available for students, to help them prepare for the real world. These resources are open to all students, regardless of their plans.
The career center is located in the Thomas Cooper Library. It's designed to help students further their professional careers from a variety of different stages, whether that's during freshman year, when students are still looking for the right major, or senior year, as students begin applying for jobs in the real world.
The Associate Director of the Career Center, Mark Anthony, clearly expressed the need for students to begin their relationship with the center early. He said that the center is trying to reach students “during their freshman year, or even earlier.”
This does not mean that if you are a sophomore, junior or even a senior that the career center is unable to help you. Anthony said the career center’s biggest emphasis is on having a plan and “making sure students know what’s out there,” no matter the stage in their college career.
As a student nearing the end of my college career, I often feel as if I am running out of time. Anthony’s words reminded me we are just beginning our lives; there are many opportunities to come and relationships to form.
So, enjoy the years spent here on campus, but make sure to look to the future, and know that your university is here to help you along the way.
