As most of you high school and college seniors already know, it’s graduation season, but with one pandemic graduation already under the belts of the school district, it will look different than last. The last graduation season in 2020 was filled with virtual ceremonies and canceled events. This year, it seems to be headed in a different direction with in-person graduations taking place across the country as more people get vaccinated.
In Orange County, all high schools will have in-person graduations on various days in May with masks required and limited number of guests. For students attending the University of Central Florida, graduates will also have an in-person ceremony with mask requirements and smaller gathering sizes. Guests are also limited to only two per graduate. High school students can find more information regarding their graduation at ocps.net, and UCF students can find more information regarding their graduation at UCF.edu.
Whichever form you’re graduating this year, there are some tasks to complete before you graduate. For high school and college students, you should make sure to sit down with a guidance counselor or advisor. For high schoolers, I also recommend you make sure college applications are airtight and you have sent the university or college you will be attending your final transcript and test scores. For university students graduating, I recommend that, before you leave school, you get the contact information for your favorite professors and follow up with them every so often to keep a network. I also recommend for college graduates that you become a member of one of the many alumni associations for your school as these also serve as great networking opportunities.
After graduating, there are a few things to tick off your list as well. First, no matter if you are in high school or college, take the time to recognize what a big achievement and milestone you just accomplished. That being said, if you are a college graduate who landed a position before graduating, I recommend negotiating some time off before you begin working as you likely need a well-deserved break to transition from student to employee. For high school graduates, make sure to use this time after you graduate to think about what you want to do in your next steps. Continuing school and heading to college is a great option after high school, so if you are already on your way to college, ensure you take this summer to identify the things you like and don’t like in life so that you are better able to quickly choose a major that fits you.
For college students who graduated and don’t have a job yet, know that it’s okay to go back home. Going home after graduating college doesn’t mean you’re a failure; it just means you have some time to think about your next steps. Make sure that after graduating, if you are planning to go to grad school, do so because you need a master’s degree to achieve what you want in life and not just because you don’t know what else to do.
College and high school seniors: Take this time to enjoy your milestone and get ready for this new phase of your life. Congrats, grad!
