What Comes Next?
Although it may be hard to believe, spring quarter has already snuck up on us. How you feel about that probably depends on your stage of life. For some of you, the start of spring quarter feels like the light at the end of the tunnel, signaling that you’ve nearly survived another year of college. Perhaps you’re already looking forward to a well-deserved summer break from all that studying and making plans for what classes you want to take next year. Historically, though, spring quarter means something very different to a certain group of students.
To seniors, spring quarter can be a sobering reminder of the end of an era. It feels like the whole world is moving in a great big hurry around you, inundating you with burning questions and fleeting opportunities. Not a day has gone by where your inbox hasn’t been bombarded with emails from Indeed or Linkedin. Your resume has already been scrutinized, chopped up, and stitched back together, and you still don’t feel like it’s good enough. There are so many decisions to be made and so many people’s opinions to weigh, but so little time. Maybe you’re wondering what God wants for the rest of your life and how He fits into this jumbled-up picture. The quarter is already blowing by at a blistering pace, and you can’t help but nervously anticipate what awaits you on the other side.
To anybody who might be mulling over these thoughts right now, just know that you’re far from the first ones to experience this. We decided to ask for some words of insight from a few of our new grads who were in your shoes exactly one year ago.
What was your first year after graduation like?
“I had heard that post grad life would be a difficult adjustment, but I didn’t believe it until I experienced it for myself. However, I still got through it with the help of the people around me.”
“My first year out of college has stretched my physical and spiritual disciplines in the best ways possible. Although this is only the beginning, I have been able to experience so many blessings by pushing myself to balance work/life/ministry with the community I have been blessed to be a part of.”
What’s a word of advice you would give to your past self from one year ago?
“I know that you feel overwhelmed with trying to find a job right now and I know it’s easier said than done, but trust me when I say that you will be okay.”
“At this time last year, you were really worried about your future job, what your living situation would be like, and handling a lot of negative pressure from family. A year later, all those worries became blessings through the way God provided in all those areas and more.”
"Go all out for God and make the most of the time with the people at church. You never get this time back."
God has a way of turning uncertainty into clarity regardless of circumstances. The future is not something you need to be afraid of just because you don’t have everything figured out yet. It can even serve as a reminder to dedicate your time and attention to what is truly important rather than letting the rest of your time as a student pass by you unnoticed. In Matthew 6:32-34, Jesus encourages us to seek and desire God above all, because He loves us and will provide for us in His great wisdom. We are able to focus on today without being anxious about tomorrow because we can trust in the Lord. If you feel alone in your struggles, don’t be afraid to bring your fears to God and open up to the people in your life about how you’re feeling. You might be surprised to find out just how much they understand you.
