Guilford seniors discuss life after graduation
Many Guilford students from the Class of 2022 couldn’t wait to finally get their degree and start their adult lives. Luis Lopez, a senior accounting major, said that he has been waiting for four years to get his degree and he was ready to graduate.
Senior accounting major Mirian Herrera said she did not expect to graduate from, or even attend, college because she comes from a low-income family. She was scared she wasn’t going to make it. Many people from low-income families worry that they are not good enough to go to college and that their careers won’t work out, but often they learn that they can enjoy their jobs and support themselves financially at the same time.
It is important to many Guilford students to find jobs they enjoy and to follow their dreams. Senior and forensic biology major Kay Neal II said that she wants a job that she will love, no matter how hard it gets. Senior and graphic design major Aida Bell said that she will probably find her dream job in about 10 years; she doesn’t expect to find the perfect job when she finishes college.
It is hard to find the perfect job right away, but many Guilford students have started the job search process. Herrera said that, since she is an accounting major, she has to look for a job in a business environment. She added that she has been job searching on Indeed and already has some interviews lined up. She has heard that many students signed contracts with certain companies for internships during their junior year and that they have since been promoted.
Students looking for jobs after graduation can search websites like Indeed, LinkedIn, Handshake and Portfolium, and can upload their resumes and cover letters to these websites as well.
Another option for students after graduation is to go to graduate school. Neal said that she has been dancing since she was two years old and has a passion for dance. She is now applying for a dance program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). After completing her degree, she wants to start a non-profit dance program where she would teach underprivileged children how to dance and perform in public.
It is fascinating to watch people pursue things they love to do.
Lopez said that when he was little, he would help his dad fix cars. He would raise the engine, change the oil and fix the brakes. Now, fixing cars is a hobby for him where he releases all his stress. He said he is thinking about going to a community college here in Greensboro in automotive collision repair, and after he gets that degree, he will hopefully open his own shop.
Other students are looking for time off from school. Bell said that she is not completely sure what she wants to do after graduation. She wants to take a break from school and enter the workforce later.
Students have several decisions to make about what they want to do when they finish college, whether they work, go to graduate school or take a break.
