The time has come for students who have persevered to stride down the graduation stage and receive their degree after years of hard work. While it is a moment for all to celebrate this milestone, it is also a time where some begin to contemplate the taunting responsibilities of their new life after college.  

No matter the circumstance and the anxiety graduates face thinking of life after college, they should remind themselves of the hard work they have put in to earn the degree they worked on for years.   

A great piece of advice would be for positive thoughts to be embedded in their minds and that great things take time. Throughout every student’s academic career in college, they face the great struggle of mixing the everyday challenges of life while being a student. A multitude of students come to face the feeling of uncertainty for what’s to come after commencement. UTEP student Mauricio Moreno discusses how even though he is not graduating this fall semester, he has already had concerns cross his mind about life after graduation.  

“I feel like once I graduate, it will be a major shift in what I’m used to,” Moreno said. “I’ve been told I will get a job when I get out but I’m still keeping my hopes not too high.” 

UTEP student Cira Vera shares this sentiment and shares her own concerns post graduation.  

“I think partially post-college depression is inevitable in a sense that we conform to our life being academics for the most part,” Vera said. “You come out straight from high school and you go to college for another four years of studying and learning.”  

Vera also mentions a new perspective for students to have when facing the fears of reality after graduation.  

“I guess to combat that is to accept change, accept that everything is not going to be the way you would anticipate,” Vera said. “Know no one has a linear path, nor is life ever which you would expect it is.”  

It seems that it is a common theme for students to not believe in themselves or lack the immediate confidence to pursue their dreams after college. Moreno is one of many where insecurities take over and create the false narrative that post-graduation students are not worthy or capable of opportunities when released into the “real” world.   

Director of UTEP’s Career Center, Betsy Castro talks about the resources the career center has to help prepare students for the big day.   

“The career center helps students find internships so they can start identifying where they would like to go,” Castro said. “Do they like the company culture because I think sometimes people don’t realize that.”  

Castro mentions the best way to prepare after graduation is getting more involved with internships. 

“When you’re looking for a job, you are trying to find a new home a new family, and that is why we say do internships so you can get the sense of ‘Do I like it?’ ‘Do I like other aspects of what I want to do moving forward?’ What better way for you to try it before you actually graduate and commit to that,” Castro said. 

Making connections and networking may go a long way in the process of gaining more successes in life. The career center has everything and more to offer for students to strengthen those strategies for a better chance at knowing what to accomplish after graduation.  

“We strive to make those connections early on so people do have a sense of belonging,” Castro said. “It’s why we have job fairs, that’s why we have professional development workshops to equip students with the skills that will set them up for success at their next job.” 

There are plenty of resources on campus that are there to support graduates on their journey after college.  

UTEP student Patrick Nguyn talks about ways students can overcome this feeling of displacement after graduation.  

“One way to fight against that feeling is to keep yourself busy, find new hobbies that could flourish a new path for yourself,” Nguyn said.   

Those graduating this fall and have this universal feeling of dreading what could come after graduation, there are resources like the career center at UTEP to help upcoming grads. All with the mission to help graduates and students reach their goal and recognize everything works out in the end.  

Marco Hinojosa is the audience and engagement editor and may be reached at [email protected]