Category Archives: graduation

careers, college majors, graduation

Practicing a Career Mindset Before Graduating

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career
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Universities exist to educate, not to teach students the finer principles of the labor market. As such, many young people look for ways to get into a career mindset before they graduate. This frame of mind helps to make the transition into adulthood pleasanter. 

But what’s required? That’s the topic of this post. We look at some of the ways students can put their career caps on, even if they’re only in the first year of college. 

So, what can they do? Let’s take a look at their options. 

Continue reading Practicing a Career Mindset Before Graduating →
careers, graduation, parenting

Tips for Your Recent Graduate to Help Them in the Workforce

graduate

Whether you have a new high school graduate entering the workforce permanently or temporarily, or you have a college graduate starting their first job, to be secure in their new position they should follow these ways to make themselves indispensable.

1. Make Your Manager’s Job Easier

Nobody wants their job to be difficult, and that’s especially true when it comes to managers. They’ve got quite a bit on their plate, and more than a few tasks to get through. They don’t want to have any extra work because some employees aren’t doing their jobs properly. Take the time to make their job easier.

It’ll reap more than a few benefits because of it. Making sure your tasks are done to a high standard, while also avoiding any potential problems is a great way to do this. It could even be worth taking on extra duties whenever you can.

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college guidance, graduation, parenting, surviving college

Parenting a Soon-to-be College Student

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college student

Sending your child off to college can be a nerve-wracking experience for any parent, drawing on memories of our own transitions. Yet amidst our own apprehensions, it’s essential not to overlook the need to provide unwavering support and encouragement to your soon-to-be college student as they embark on this significant journey.

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college guidance, college prep, empty nest, graduation, parenting

The Joy and Angst of Decision Day

decision day

May Decision Day has come and gone. Students have made those final decisions and committed to college in the fall. After all the stress of senior year and some of the conflict that arose within families, you can rest easy the hard work is done and it’s smooth sailing ahead.

But is it? Your student and you have worked hard for this day and you should certainly enjoy the accomplishment. Your student did the work and was accepted to college. You did the work and prepared your student for that next phase in their life: adulthood. You have been planning for this day ever since they entered high school. You looked forward to the day when they would finally leave your nest and go out on their own. But you probably weren’t expecting so many mixed feelings.

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graduation, parenting

High School Graduation: Letting Go Without Holding On

high school graduation

High school graduation is approaching for seniors; and some tearful goodbyes may be approaching for their parents. Your emotions will transition from pride for their accomplishments to dread and sadness as they move on to the next phase of their lives.

Letting go is never easy. But if you’ve done your job, your student is ready to move to the next phase of their life, which means living independently.

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admissions, graduation, orientation, parenting

From Acceptance to Graduation and Beyond

GRADUATION

The acceptance letters have arrived and your student is ready to make his final college decision and then move forward to graduation. Check the box–going to college! It’s a tremendous accomplishment for both students and their parents.

It’s not just your student who is graduating–you are too! You planned for years for your student to go to college and now he has been accepted. After years of planning it’s time to start a new chapter in your life as well. 

First things first–do some celebrating. You’ve earned it. It was a difficult task to raise a successful high school graduate and soon-to-be college student. Allow yourself some time to bask in the accomplishment. This is also time to flood him with showers of praise and words of encouragement. He’s worked hard for this and he needs to hear that you are proud of him. 

Once the celebration dust settles, to help you head into the next phase, we have some suggestions to assist with the transition.

Continue reading From Acceptance to Graduation and Beyond →
graduation, parenting

Are You Having Graduation Anxiety?

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graduation

High school graduation day is supposed to be one of the best days in your life. But the unsettling truth is it can be a time of great anxiety—for both students and parents. Even though this is a milestone, a combination of both positive and negative emotions can turn this happy time into one filled with stress. It’s hard to imagine that this time for celebration also produces feelings of fear, frustration, sadness and separation. But it does.

Why is there such anxiety around this time of celebration and accomplishment?

Graduation Anxiety for the Students

Of course students are happy and excited about their graduation; but they can also exhibit signs of stress and anxiety. The very nature of this life event brings a whole range of emotions to the surface. It’s important for parents to understand what their teen is feeling to help them through the transition.

Fearing the unknown

It’s only natural for students to be afraid of what lies ahead. Even if they have visited the campus and talked to faculty and students, the very fact that they will be entering uncharted territory brings up the fear. They have no idea what to expect once they arrive on campus. They know academics will be more difficult—will they be able to handle the rigors of college courses? All of these unknown factors cause them to be afraid (even though they might not admit it).

Continue reading Are You Having Graduation Anxiety? →
graduation, parenting

Transitioning Toward Independence After Graduation

graduation

Whether your child is leaving for college soon or they are coming towards the end of their studies, ensuring you support your child in the right way, not just in a professional sense but in an emotional sense as well, can prove to be a wide-ranging subject. Ultimately, there is a massive transition from college to the real world. For anybody that has been through college education and has now come out on the other side, they may tell you just how much of a shock to the system it is to go into the real world. So what can you do to make sure that you support your child in the right way when they are transitioning toward independence after graduation?

Will Additional Qualifications Help At This Point?

Many people decide to move on to a master’s course after their degree. For some, this can be prolonging the eventuality of going into the real world. But it all depends on the degree that your child initially undertook. If they’ve got a very clear-cut career plan but they need to acquire a master’s in system design & management or a niche subject, it’s vital that they work towards this. The best thing you can do if your child is adamant about completing extra qualifications is to make sure that they’ve researched their career choice at every angle.

Encouraging Them To Find The Best First Job

Some parents feel that their child needs to get any job after they come out of college, but this can be a huge mistake. If your child is not continuing their education, you should encourage them to explore a wide variety of opportunities. Many people these days decide to accept a job for the sake of it, but this means that they could very well get stuck in a professional rut. And even if you, as the parent, have been in the same position before, it’s essential to encourage them to diversify their efforts. Encourage them to make strategic decisions from the outset. This could mean undertaking career questionnaires or helping them to realize what skills they have right now that lend to a specific profession.

Remember To Take A Step Back

They are your child, and you want the best for them, but you have to remember that you can’t force them to do something. If you feel the need to go down a particular direction, they will likely do the opposite. Think about your emotions and keep them in check. Manage their moods rather than trying to force them down a specific path. After college, your child can feel somewhat empty in-between that chasm of finishing their education to starting a career. There will naturally be bumps in the roads, and they may feel the pressure to get on to the “right” career right away. The best thing that you can do is to take a step back and also realize where you are helicopter parenting.

Even if you went straight into work, you have to remember just how much a shock to the system it can be going from years of education to the real world. They worked hard at getting their qualification, and now they want to make sure that it counts. The best thing you can do for them at this point is to be supportive of their decisions.

careers, graduation

Choosing the Next Step After High School Graduation

high school graduation

Teenagers can feel pressure to plan their future as the end of their time at high school approaches. Being encouraged to apply for college or to find a job as soon as they have graduated can be difficult, especially when it starts early and they feel like they have to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. If you want to help a teenager work out what they want to do after high school graduation, you can offer them assistance and encouragement in a number of ways.

Encourage an Open Approach

High schoolers can often feel pressured to make important life choices as soon as possible. They might feel that they need to start choosing colleges and thinking about what their major is going to be before they’re anywhere near finishing high school. But if you want to help a teenager work out what to do after graduation, you can encourage them to keep their options open. There’s no need for them to have a set plan for the future or a solid idea of their post-graduation plans long before they graduate. If they keep an open mind, they could be more likely to find something that suits them.

Explore Options Outside of College

Many teenagers feel that there is pressure to attend college straight after high school. However, more graduates are being put off going to college by high tuition fees and other factors. Educator Dr Jerry Jellig believes that high school students need to be presented with other options, including alternative career paths and routes into college. There are various paths to explore, from vocational schools to employment opportunities after high school. College doesn’t have to be something that is completed straight after high school, if it is a goal at all.

Understand the Current and Future Job Market


It’s worth thinking about what the job market looks like today and what it could look like in a few years. Parents and educators of teenagers today might not be as in touch with the current job market as they might think, especially when it comes to opportunities for people who are just beginning their career. To help teenagers discover a career path that could work for them, you should be aware of what types of jobs are out there and how the skills that teenagers learn today can help them find the right opportunities.

Find Opportunities for Experience

Work experience can help teenagers explore their career options and discover what sort of work they might be interested in. There are a few ways to find work experience, including a short week or two shadowing someone, summer internships or part-time jobs. Work experience might not show high schoolers the exact career that they want to have, but it can reveal to them some of the skills they might want to use or industries they want to explore.

High school graduates don’t have to know what to do for the rest of their lives, but they should know what their next step is. You can help them decide.

empty nest, graduation

From Acceptance to Graduation and Beyond

 

graduation

The acceptance letters have arrived and your student has made his final college decision. Check the box–going to college! It’s a tremendous accomplishment for both students and their parents. It’s not just your student who is graduating–you are too! You planned for years for your student to go to college and now he has been accepted. After years of planning it’s time to start a new chapter in your life as well.

First things first–do some celebrating. You’ve earned it. It was a difficult task to raise a successful high school graduate and soon-to-be college student. Allow yourself some time to bask in the accomplishment. This is also time to flood him with showers of praise and words of encouragement. He’s worked hard for this and he needs to hear that you are proud of him.

Once the celebration dust settles, to help you head into the next phase, we have some suggestions to assist with the transition.

Graduation Anxiety

Even though it’s a time of celebration, it is also a time of great anxiety; not only for the students who are anxious about their future, but for the parents as well. Students worry about being successful academically, moving away from the safety of home, and the difficult task of making new friends. Parents are riddled with questions and concerns, as any loving parent will be:

  • Have you done your job to prepare him for adulthood?
  • How will you occupy your time when he is away at college?
  • How will he survive without you?
  • How involved do you need to be when he’s in college?
  • How will you ever let go?

These questions and many more are going to be circling your mind over the next few months. However, it’s time for him to put into use the lessons you have taught him over the last 18 years–even if it means he will fail. Standing on the sidelines is difficult, but wipe away the tears and the fears and look ahead to an exciting era for both of you.

Bonding

Spend the next few months bonding with your college-bound teen: bonding, not smothering. Don’t expect him to want to be with you 24-7. He has friends he wants to spend time with as well, knowing he will be leaving them in the fall. Of course you want to spend time with him. After all, he’s leaving in a few months and you will miss him. But don’t cross the line and expect him to want what you want.

If you can’t camp out in his room or sit on the couch hugging him for hours, what can you do to facilitate the bonding? These suggestions might help:

  • Schedule a date night and do something fun together. Go to dinner and a movie. Play miniature golf. Attend a concert.
  • Take a family vacation together.
  • Go shopping for college and/or dorm supplies.
  • Visit the campus of the college he will be attending and take some side trips along the way.

Be creative and think of other ways you can forge time with him. It can even be something as simple as watching a television show with him or cooking together. Whatever you do, take advantage of every opportunity to bond. It will not only help you when he’s at college, it will provide him with memories to hold on to when (not if) he gets homesick at college.

Conversations

Before he leaves for college, you should have several conversations. Avoid lecturing; but discuss some issues he will be faced with at college. You may have discussed these before, but it’s time to reinforce them again:

  • Academics

Even though he’s an adult now (or so he thinks) you need to help him understand that you have certain expectations regarding academics. It’s going to require a commitment on his part to attend class, study, and turn in assignments when they are due. Discuss options for tutoring on campus and what to do if he begins to struggle.

  • Money

Budgeting in college for someone who has depended on parents for everything they need can be difficult. Sit down and help him make a budget and discuss what you will be providing as far as expenses and what you expect him to contribute. This will help minimize the phone calls panicking because he’s out of money.

  • Social activity

College provides multiple opportunities to socialize–some of it is good, some not so good. Talk about the drinking, drug and hooking up culture on campus which go hand-in-hand with college life. Discussing it ahead of time will help prepare him when he’s faced with decisions and also come up with a plan to have fun without harming himself or others.

  • Consequences

Make sure he understands the concept of consequences–to his actions, his choices, and his inaction. Remind him to think before he acts because most college decisions affect what happens in the future. For instance, a decision to skip class could result in a poor grade. Or a decision to drink and drive could not only put his life at risk, but if caught, a DUI could affect his ability to secure a job after graduation.

Packing

It’s a natural instinct for teens to want to take everything to college with them. Resist that urge. Dorm rooms are small. He will be sharing a space with another student who has brought things from home as well. As a general rule of thumb, here’s a short list of “do take and don’t take” items:

Do take

  • Hygiene items (including flip flops for shower)
  • Ear plugs (help with concentration and sleeping)
  • Tech items (plugs, power strips, laptop, desktop, usb drives, portable hard drive)
  • Maintenance items (duct tape, hammer, screwdriver, etc.)
  • Office supplies (stapler, paper, pens and pencils)
  • Storage containers (underbed storage works best)
  • Bedding (sheets, blanket, pillows and bed risers)
  • Headphones

Don’t take

  • Huge stereo and speakers
  • Every book and DVD you own
  • Candles
  • High school memorabilia
  • An overabundance of personal items-i.e your entire stuffed animal collection

Talk with the roommate about what he is bringing and try not to duplicate. Decide who is bringing the television, the microwave and the mini-fridge–staples in any dorm room. As your and your teen are making a list of items, remember that less is more in a college dorm room.

Orientation

Most colleges have instituted parent orientation to go along with the traditional student orientation. Parent orientation can provide parents with information about student life, guidance about dealing with college-related issues, and help dealing with separation anxiety. Additionally, you will be able to participate in workshops, take a campus tour and listen to speeches about common parent issues conducted by faculty and staff.

The BostonGlobe reports that most parents found the events to be more than worthwhile:

Colleges around the country are holding orientations for families of incoming freshmen. But these are not simple “Meet the Dean” receptions held the day before school starts. These are elaborate two- and three-day events, often held on midsummer weekdays. “What I’ve heard across the country from parents is that these events are marked on their calendar with a big red heart,” said Natalie Caine, who counsels parents through her business, Empty Nest Support Services in Los Angeles.They say, ‘I need to go. I need to see what it’s like. I want to hear what they have to offer, what the security system is like, who’s the contact person if there’s a problem.’

Use the next few months to prepare yourself and your teen for the upcoming college move-in day. If you’re well-prepared, it will be easier for both you and your student. In the meantime, enjoy your summer and use every opportunity to make some memories!