Life beyond the cap and gown

Hard work paid off

Graduation day invariably stands out as one of the most unforgettable milestones in our lives. I vividly recall the frenzied excitement of preparing for this important day, including last-minute shopping for the perfect suit, outfit planning, and even getting a fresh haircut. The anxiety of arriving on time at the venue, coupled with the joyful reunions with colleagues as we reminisced about our academic journey, including the frantic moments of nearly missing crucial deadlines, all came flooding back to me.

The drop: what I wish I knew

However, there’s an aspect of graduation that is seldom discussed: life after crossing the stage. There’s no manual handed to us along with our degrees that teaches us how to navigate the post-graduation world. I wish it contained guidance on several vital points:

• Embracing lifelong learning: How to continue learning beyond formal education and not confidently acquire degrees with true learning.
• Handling rejection: How to cope with the inevitable rejections from job applications and postgraduate programmes, understanding that each ‘no’ chips away at our initial post-graduation confidence, but also teaches resilience.
• Personal branding: How to market oneself as a graduate, distinguishing oneself through character beyond academic grades.

Crafting a life beyond degrees

This list could undoubtedly extend further, yet the core message remains clear: there is no universal solution due to our varied backgrounds and individual paths. However, embracing the following concepts can provide guidance during this uncertain time.

Continued learning and resilience: Education doesn’t stop after graduation. In reality, it’s just beginning. Learning beyond our studied fields, expanding our horizons, and acquiring skills, even those seemingly unrelated to our degrees, can lead to unexpected opportunities and allow us to enter rooms our qualifications alone wouldn’t unlock.

Writing our own stories: Perhaps the blank side of our degree is intentional, serving as a reminder and a prompt that it’s now our turn to author our life stories. We personalise our qualifications by committing to being lifelong learners, ensuring we are not just another graduate number, a mere statistic in the academic factory.

In closing, while this advice might not be the panacea you were hoping for, I assure you that applying these principles will make a great difference.

Consider this food for thought: The real journey begins after graduation. So, take the pen and start writing your chapter.

Until next time, keep learning and growing.