congrats, grad!...?
congrats, grad!...?
my advice to graduates on what comes next
A year ago I celebrated my graduation from Princeton Seminary. While the day of graduation was filled with incredible joy, the circumstances around this day were consumed by uncertainty. I had just resigned from a director position at a non-profit without a new job confirmed, bought a home in Milwaukee, and launched my first business venture. The afternoon after the ceremony, we packed up the last items in our apartment and began the trip to Wisconsin.
Now a year removed from the pomp and circumstance of graduation, here is my advice to folks graduating this month:
1 — expectations =/= morality.
There are few moments in life as pivotal as graduation. After spending years preparing yourself for a vocation, profession, or lifestyle, you now have the opportunity to decide what you really want to do. Most people will expect you to immediately find a job and join the workforce. This is a fine decision, but it is not a moral one. So, if you want to move into a Sprinter van and travel the country, do it! If you want to work at a coffee shop or local store while you decide what is next for you, don’t let the expectation of finding a full-time job and the morality attributed to this path deter you from pursuing your passions, curiosity, and the places you find joy.
READ: Six Bible Verses for Whatever Comes After Graduation | Sojourners
2 — your degree was for you; you decide how it is used.
Similarly, don’t let your degree box you into a profession. If you majored in communications and you love it, pursue it as a career. But if you spent four years dragging yourself through an English degree, don’t let it determine your entire career path. Find ways to take the lessons learned from your degree and apply them elsewhere.
For example, I met my friend
at Princeton Seminary, where we both earned an M.Div. Now J.D. runs a successful web design agency, Cornelia Creative, and works as a Global Sales Development for a tech startup.3 — surround yourself with people who love you well
We are constantly being formed—from the shows we watch to the media we consume to the passing conversations we have in line at the store. But few things form us more than the people who are placed around us. Therefore, no matter where you end up post-graduation, find people who will love and form you well. More important than an onboarding package, graduate program, or internship is surrounding yourself with people who will care for you.
the church and common life
4 — rest.
Take a nap. You’ve earned it.
What advice do you have for graduates this year? Let me know in the comments below!