I’m going to graduate!! Ask any Tech student, this is a moment they’ve all dreamed about since taking those fall first-year classes. Even after four years here, I’m still amazed this day has come. I wouldn’t trade my time here at Tech for anything and yet still I’m excited and ready to go out and make my own place in the world. The final semester is a bit of a balance- do I savor every last bit of college life or turn my focus towards what lies ahead? In all honesty, it’s both…at the same time. Personally, I had hoped my last semester would be easier than the others since I’m taking less courses than usual. However, I found myself busier than ever, not wanting to miss a thing. Oh, and also job searching.
The job searching process will be what you make of it. Start early would be my advice. You never know when a chance meeting with a company at the very start of the semester can turn into an interview and more. Be prepared for it to take more time than you think. Career fairs are a great resource for many, but not everyone. If your student is one of those who didn’t feel like the career fair was very useful, encourage them to look in other places. Companies often visit campus to hold information sessions which provide a more personal opportunity to talk to students. However, finding a company is only the first step… next up, interviews! While interviews can definitely be intimidating, I always try to remember what they really are – a chance to show off! As a Tech student, you undergo countless hours of studying, cramming, presentations, projects, and more for this chance to show what you can do. Try to relax and take a deep breath. Know that the company is already interested in you, so be prepared to put your best foot forward and prove that you deserve to be there. Now as someone who has been doing the job searching process for a few months now, I can attest that it gets tiresome. Parents, make sure to encourage your students throughout the process and help them see the light at the end of tunnel. When stuck in the day to day of career fairs, emails, interviews, it gets hard to remember what you’re actually working towards. My parents definitely helped remind me that these are good things, and every little step gets me closer to my goal. Also, it’s ok if you don’t have the perfect job lined up by the time you graduate. Again, it will be ok. While that’s a great goal to have and work towards, sometimes things just don’t work out that perfectly and life will go on. For me, that was a huge moment of realization that I wouldn’t have been able to see without my parents’ support. Make sure your student knows you are there for them and willing to help them however they need – whether that’s some encouragement after a long day, a shoulder to cry on when things don’t go quite right, advice as someone who’s been through it all before or the offer of moving into the basement. Ok, maybe not that last one, but thanks anyways Dad!
The other biggest challenge besides all the fun job stuff is remembering that I actually still have classes. I’m so close, it’s easy to want to just coast the rest of the way. However, senior design doesn’t really let that happen. It’s important not to give up just because you’re at the end. Set a goal for senior year (maybe it’s lower than your goals for other semesters, that’s ok) that way there’s still some accountability. For me, wanting to finish on a high note provides some motivation. I didn’t work this hard to get here to just let my studies fall now. It also really helps having a senior design project you’re passionate about and team members you get along with. Remember this is most likely the biggest time of transition in your student’s life so far. Their day to day life of going to classes is ending and it can be scary looking into the unknown. Even with the perfect job lined up, it’s still a time of change and that can also be a time of anxiety. With Thanksgiving and all the winter holidays coming up, take some time to talk to your student, face to face if you can, and get a better idea of how they are feeling. I can say for myself it’s equal parts excitement and nervousness, wanting to become a real adult with a real job but also not knowing exactly how. I guess all that’s left to say now is Thanks Tech. Thanks for that special bonding that can only happen between study groups at 2 am the night before a test. Thanks for all those weird opportunities, like racing a tricycle or running for cake at 6 am, that I definitely wouldn’t have experienced anywhere else. Thanks for introducing me to the most incredible, passionate, and intelligent people I’ve ever met. And thanks for giving me the confidence to know wherever I end up, I will excel because us Yellow Jackets can do anything.
Sincerely,
Kaitlyn Morse
Author: Kaitlyn Morse is a graduating senior from Gainesville, Florida majoring in Civil Engineering. Kaitlyn has been working serving the Georgia Tech Community as a Parent Assistant Leader since Spring 2015 enriching the GT Family Experience.
