Whether you have already experienced the journey of having a child graduate from college or this is the first time, it is important to remember that just like every child is different, every post-graduation path will also look different. You and your senior each have big dreams of what you imagine life after graduation will look like. It is okay if those things do not happen right away. The average post-graduate job search takes around 6 months. That means it is possible that your senior may need to move back home as they figure out the best path for their next steps. This is more normal than you would think. There are lots of possibilities of what life after graduation could look like, and putting all the pieces together takes time!
Going to college is a big adjustment as is the learning curve of what it looks like to live independently. Graduating from college can sometimes be an even bigger transition. If you have not talked about these things with your graduating senior yet, now might be a helpful time to begin conversations about navigating some of the intimidating pieces of adulthood: budgeting & finances, health insurance, the daily responsibilities of supporting yourself, etc. Trust that you have raised them well and be sure to walk with them in these things, rather than for them!
Perhaps it feels like your senior is not doing anything to help set themself up well for life after college. Or maybe they somehow figured it all out and cannot wait to jump in, and it feels like they are leaving you in the dust. Either way, this is new territory for them. Life after graduation is a huge transition and it will have its ups and downs. In either case, they will need your support and encouragement as they figure out this new season of life.
Is your senior currently in the job search process? If so, there may be some ways you can support them. If you know someone in your senior’s field of interest, encourage your child to reach out to them to learn more about what they do and their company of employment. Even if you do not know someone who works in their field, you never know who people know. When people ask you about your senior’s plans, do your best to explain to them what their goals are, and ask them if they know anyone in the field that they might be able to connect them with and encourage your senior to do the same!
Graduating college is a big deal! Your senior has worked hard these last several years, likely with many nights of very little sleep (whether or not that was necessary may surely be up for debate 😊). While your graduating senior deserves a great deal of credit for getting to the finish line, so do you. You have worried about them and for them. You have done your best to support them throughout their educational journey. You have watched them grow from learning to read their very first word to earning a college degree. This work of helping your child grow into an independent young adult is not for the faint of heart, and you have done it! So, congratulations to you as well, and do not be afraid to let your graduate know how proud you are of them!
-Sarah Faulkner, Assistant Director of the Center for Calling & Career
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Dec 19, 2023
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Hear from our Director of Calling & Career about Geneva College's unique relation-building approach to student development and how that impacts our students.
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