Four years later, my Brightspace page is still glitchy and Bobst Library’s fluorescent lighting is still dizzying and disorienting. I’ve lost my NYU ID in every nook and cranny of campus and dining hall food has certainly given me a mild case of food poisoning — but that’s not why I feel sick. The violet cap and gown hanging on my dresser is calling my name, as it is for thousands of seniors across the university.
As commencement rapidly approaches, I find myself listening to “Vienna” by Billy Joel — a song with a close-to-home message for every soon-to-be graduate. The song is about getting older, accepting change and enjoying the journey — because no matter how long it takes, you’ll always find your way. With this in mind, I walked all over campus to interview five NYU seniors, who shared their future plans, anxieties and advice for their future and past selves.
Day-by-day
Like many of her fellow classmates, Silver senior Kayla Major is thrilled for graduation — next year, she’s headed to graduate school for social work. Her advice is to take college day by day and focus on the things you have control over.
“I can go to grad school — that’s a privilege I have,” Major said. “But it is scary not being in school anymore. And a lot of what I put a lot of my effort into was being good at school, and so ambiguity of figuring out who I am outside of school is a tough thing.”
Take a walk
According to Tisch senior Sara Smith, who will graduate with a degree in Cinematography and Film/Video Production, sometimes, all you need to do is take a walk — literally. For Smith, graduation brings mixed feelings and a batch of overwhelming questions, like what types of jobs she should apply for and whether she should stay in New York City or move back to her hometown in Colorado.
“My advice is to go on a walk. It’s okay to close the job apps for a second,” Smith said. “Delete LinkedIn. Don’t go on LinkedIn.”
Embrace the uncertainty
Born-and-raised New Yorker and Tandon senior Ryan Menier looks forward to graduation. At a time when high-performing artificial intelligence threatens many jobs in tech, the Computer Science & Engineering major said that he accepts the uncertainty that comes with applying to full-time positions.
“Engineering is very broad, and there’s a lot of different paths that people can take down,” Menier said. “I wish that I figured out exactly what I wanted to do earlier, but also, it’s very hard to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life.”
Welcome new beginnings
GLS senior Sophia Jafferally, who plans to attend graduate school next year. She hopes to eventually go to law school in London, and later work in politics. While Jaferrally jokingly advised her past self not to “dye your hair blonde” or “cry over a boy, girl or anybody,” she also acknowledged the unique set of struggles, both current and future, faced by the class of 2025.
“There is a collective grief in our class,” Jafferally said. “It is a really weird time to be entering the workforce, but even with that comes new beginnings. I’d say grief but not necessarily in a negative way.”
Contact Sara Sharma at [email protected].
