"So, what are you planning on doing with that after graduation?"
Does it grate on your nerves as much as it does on mine? If I had a nickel for every time I've heard this inquiry, I could retire now and my only job would be to ask that question to every college student I meet.
I'll say it. I'm proud. Hello my name is Tyler Deboard and I'm a Russian Language and Literature major and proud of it. I made peace with it years ago and I have since become quite familiar with the best way to handle this probably well-meaning query. However, there are a few things that I would like to point out, and I believe that I speak for many of the smaller majors and programs at the University.
First, it's perfectly fine to ask me about my post-gradation plans. As a fourth year, I'm quite aware that almost anyone I meet will immediately go for the jugular by reminding me that my time here is limited and that I do indeed need to concoct a plan by the time I walk the Lawn one last time.
Ask away, but please don't add a tone to the question. Please don't act like you feel sorry for me and absolutely do not act as though you are concerned for me. I can promise you that, despite the current job market and what may seem to be a "random" or useless major, I will be just fine.
Second, who among us has a concrete idea about what they'll be doing after graduation? Put your hands down, Nursing School. Commerce School - is that money you're waving in the air? Never mind.
Sometimes I think it's fun to respond to questions about my future with flippant answers such as, "Oh, I have no idea. I guess I should consider that soon." Truth is, I'm not at a loss for a plan for my life. In fact, I have a few different plans. It's deciding which is chief among them that plagues me.
No one wants to hear that, though. Judging from reactions, it's somehow almost as bad as having no plan at all. Apparently I need a concrete plan for my life, shaped by years of reflection and experience and research, that I will be able to jump into as soon as my tassel turns.
I just can't give you that at this point. I may not be any closer to a solid plan at Christmas, and don't be surprised if I'm still scratching my head in May.
To my comrades in other obscure programs of study, I want to encourage you. Find out all you can about the customs of medieval England. Immerse yourself in a language that you love. Dive into it head first, just as I have with Russian. You only get a limited time in this paradise of academia, so spend it studying the things that interest you, not worrying about how those interests will play out after four years.
What am I doing after graduation? Let me get back to you.
Tyler's column runs biweekly Fridays. He can be reached at t.deboard@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
Fourth-year Bodo’s orders — creative or catastrophic?
By Lizzy Goldstein | 2 days agoWhile this selection of bagels had winners and losers, it is safe to say that the Class of 2024 has taken full advantage of the Bodo’s menu over the years.
The naked party uncovered
By Mia Tan | 2 days agoThe naked party, founded by fourth-year Architecture student Wells Woolcott, is the first of its kind at the University in recent memory.
A second chance to dress for graduation
By Julianne Saunders | 4 days agoI have learned to see my college graduation not as a way to make up for the past but as an event worth celebrating on its own.
