Recent Houghton alumni face the world after college.
Recent graduate James Delventhal joked, “Best part of being done….laughing at the rest of you from afar….I AM KIDDING!” In reality, Houghton’s May 2014 graduates described a diverse range of experiences and emotions as they have been navigating their first year out of undergraduate studies and for most, away from the place they had spent the past four years of their lives.
One of the few common threads described by recent graduates was the challenge of establishing firm financial footing. Danny Kim, now a first year medical student at Saint Louis University School of Medicine noted that even the small things like “breakfast cereals and chocolate milk” add up. Freelance videographer Steve McCord is living with his parents “because it’s cheap and there’s free food.” Amy Coon who is also living at home while employed as an artist in residence at a Clay Arts Center said, “It’s definitely not easy to return home after being away for four years at college, but I’m very thankful for the opportunity to save some money and to spend time making art.”
Similarly, Sarah Hutchinson, now working at Jericho Road Community Health Center in Buffalo said she has struggled with budgeting now that she has to balance daily expenses with “big items like rent and loans.” Sarah Munkittrick, now living in Sydney, Australia also expressed being caught off guard by the cost of “internet, electricity, rent, food… Things that are just available for you at college that in the real world you have to pay for.”
Graduates who have moved into the workforce had mixed reactions to the adjustment of no longer being in school. David Richards, who recently returned to Houghton to start working as an assistant coach for track and field said he has found it challenging to go without “the structure” provided by student life. Similarly Coon said, “I actually miss paper writing and assignments. I felt like I was actively learning. In the real world, you’re learning but in a less intentional way.”
On the other hand, William Strowe, who works as an interim student ministries director, expressed relief and said the best part of being done with college is “not worrying about researching, writing, or receiving grades on papers.” Hutchinson said working a nine to five job has given her considerably more free time compared to her time in college where between homework, work-study, and extracurricular activities she always felt like there was something she ought to be doing. Now, she said, she feels like her “personal growth has skyrocketed.”
Like many other graduates who have found the change socially challenging, Jessica Miller, now a research coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center said it’s taken her longer to get to know people than it did at Houghton. However, she also shared that she has already run into other Houghton alumni, “People always say that Houghton follows you everywhere, and I was happy to discover that to be true.”
Moving forward some graduates, said they do not expect much change in what they will be doing at this time next year. Others, such as Hannah Lily who is an Assistant Manager at a Cenex Convenience Store, are still searching for a more permanent situation. Lily said, “in a year I hope to be working as a high level marketing executive…or at least have a marketing job” but since graduation she has learned that “sometimes, having a degree means absolutely nothing! …sometimes I think it’s my work ethic that will actually take me places.”
Inevitably graduation does not quell all doubts. Many recent graduates have no clear vision of where they will be this time next year such as Strowe who said, “I’m just going with the flow!” Hutchinson said, “Ahhhhhhhhh—ask me in a few months!”, and Coon said, “When you graduate, the possibilities are endless, but it’s more scary and overwhelming than exciting.” Munkittrick said, “I have no idea what next year looks like, still trying to figure out next week!”
However, Jason Orlando, who is about to go to Airborne school and continue training to be a special forces medic said, “I found I was fairly prepared for life after college.” Similarly, James Vitale, who is pursuing a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary, said, “even in the midst of all this change I feel I am a well rounded, well adjusted person in general, and I definitely have Houghton to thank for that.” Tyler Miller who is now a full-time teacher in Olean said, “I enjoy being able to put my education to use out in the real world. You get a little antsy to see if you can make it out here while you are in school, and it is really fun and exciting to put yourself to the test.”