Graduation Woes

As graduation nears, seniors at Vanguard University find themselves in a tussle as they race towards the finish line of their undergraduate career. Graduating puts an end to a certain chapter and opens another in uncharted waters.

For senior Leigha Bednar, who is getting her degree in Psychology, the struggle came in the form of deciding what graduate school to attend, eventually applying to Chapman, Texas Woman’s, and Northern Illinois University for a post baccalaureate program to become a speech pathologist.

“It is really stressful getting everything done and submitted, and the waiting process to hear back is exciting and stressful as well,” said Bednar. “The interview process for me was really nerve-racking but all in all it’s a rewarding experience.”

As Bednar waits for acceptance letters, she is having to search for apartments and jobs in Texas and Chicago as the possibility of moving to a different state becomes more real.

When it came to advice for underclassmen, Bednar had this to say, “Don’t wait to get things done. Jump on it sooner than later and it will help in the long run.”

For some seniors, the stress came during “grad week” here on campus. For Whitney Eckis, it came to the question of if she would be able to graduate on time.

“After completing my academic advisement appointment, I noticed there was a hold on my account,” said Eckis. “I went over to housing, thinking it was another ridiculous Vanguard parking ticket, and was unpleasantly surprised with the knowledge that the hold was due to a balance of $5,000.”

As she searched for a way to deal with the hold placed on her account, she found that the hold was “due to the changes in classes from the previous semester that had been 2 days past the financial date deadline, which is different from the school class add/drop deadline, there was a penalty. A $5,000 penalty,” said Eckis.

The financial office told Eckis that she needed to come up with the money by 5pm. Luckily, there had been a mistake made and her scholarship money had not been used in the financial calculation.

Eckis was able to scrape up the remaining balance. “Somehow, I was able to gather up all the funds and my tuition had already been paid. Thankfully, I was able to lift the hold and register for classes.”

As school nears the end it is important to be on top of your academics as well as all your financial debts. You have come this far and nothing should stop you from walking across that stage in cap and gown to get that well-deserved diploma.

Most graduates have no idea what they are going to do with their lives after school ends. If you are in that boat, do not worry. If you are not going on to continue your education, find a job. The pay might not be as great as you thought it would be coming out of college, and that’s okay. You never know what opportunities will come your way. You just have to put yourself out there.

If finding a job does not sound appealing, applying for the Peace Corp. may be the answer. Not only will it look great on your resume, it gives you a chance to see the world.

The stress of graduating may be getting to you, but once you cross that stage with diploma in hand, your worries will seem small as you enter the next chapter in your life.