Opinion: An Open Plea to Kill the “After-Graduation” Question

By Maggie Roth

Gordon College News Service

May 3, 2010
(This editorial appeared Saturday, May 15, in The Salem News.)

Dear Friends, Family and all others generally concerned with the future of college seniors:

As we enter the month of May, many things start to happen. The leaves turn green again, the birds start chirping more often, the sun finally decides to break the gray “November through April New England haze,” and of course, seniors graduate.

 I, myself, as one of these upcoming graduates, feel the need to enlighten those who care with a small piece of information: Most of us don’t have a clue what we’re doing immediately after we pack up our dorm rooms and head for our cars.

It seems to me that the word “senior” and the phrase “what are you doing after you graduate!?” are synonymous these days. The thing is, I don’t know what I’m going to do. And when I get asked time and time again by people I know and people I don’t know, I start to get a little stressed out and the question becomes a hot-button. And when I get heated who knows what act of violence I might commit.

So let me save you some pain and glowers from those freshly educated twenty-two year-olds who may try and paste a smile on their face when they answer, but in reality are shaking in their boots. Most of us are coming off of sixteen years of school. Our brains cringe at the memories of our last German exam, senior thesis, and linguistics presentation. The education we’ve received over the years is practically oozing out of our ears. Plans post graduation? I’m just trying to get to the cap and gown.

Another factor that contributes to the panic that ensues from the “after graduation” question is that since the 2001 economic recession, the job market has been the worst it’s ever been for everyone, especially college graduates.

Peter Coy, a reporter for BusinessWeek, examined the unemployment rate for college graduates. His analysis found that 22 to 27-year-olds were among the hardest hit by the economic downturn. In 2007, 84.4 percent of young grads had jobs, only slightly lower than the 86.8 percent figure for college graduates aged 28 to 50. Since then, the employment gap between the two groups has almost doubled.

So do I have a job lined up and my future planned out? Nope, not quite.

Trust me, it’s not because I’m lazy or unmotivated. I’m just tired from working hard on research projects and newspaper article deadlines.  I need some time to decompress. I need to recharge my battery before I can motor on into the work force. And in today’s busy pace of life, taking a little time to rest is not a bad thing, is it?

For this reason, I offer a solution—for those of you who feel compelled to talk with graduates: PLEASE find a different question.

“How was your senior year?” is a good start. Or, “What will you miss most about college? Do you have any adventures planned for the summer?” These questions are perfect examples of conversation starters that won’t cause new graduates blood pressure to rise and tempt her to take a swing at you.

Now please don’t get me wrong: I am thankful for your interest and concern just as I am grateful for the privilege of my education. I understand you care about my future. But please remember that because I now possess a diploma, it doesn’t mean I have everything figured out quite yet. In fact, I’m just getting started.

Regards from a 2010 graduate,

Maggie Roth

Maggie Roth is graduating from Gordon College May 15, 2010, with a bachelor’s degree in communication arts.