Post-Graduation Dread? CSUN Seniors Share Their Fears
The past year, our concept of reality took a back seat and the whole world was put on pause due to COVID-19. We have all felt the effects of COVID for fear of not knowing what the future may look like due to the pandemic. For graduating seniors at California State University Northridge, this fear is becoming more of a reality as graduation comes closer.
With over 12,000 seniors, many CSUN students feel the wave of anxiety due to the uncertainty after graduation during a global pandemic. An education trust poll showed that out of over 1,300 students, 77% of students are concerned about being on track to graduate from their program.
In our smaller survey, there has been a common trend among the students who will be moving forward with their education to take a small break to see how things go in the coming year. Due to the uncertainty of the virus, students find themselves wanting to save up money to move on with their plans for the future when it is less hectic.
Here are the thoughts and stories of CSUN seniors who are graduating during a pandemic.
Diane Zermeño
Diane Zermeño is majoring in broadcast journalism and has fears of what her life will be like once she graduates.
“ My identity has been strongly tied for school since I was a child. School has given me a reason to move around, school has given me a place to live through financial aid, and school has been the only thing that gave me a sense of pride in life. COVID has changed how I look at life and school as a whole. As a first generation student, I have anxiety about not being successful quick enough to give my family stability and with the state of our country and the world, those worries continue to grow,” said Zermeño.
After graduation, Zermeño hopes to work in radio journalism specifically in the pop culture and entertainment field.
Yanelli Mejia
Yanelli Mejia, a family studies major, has some fears that she won’t be as prepared as she should be for post-graduation life.
“The hardest thing for me was taking courses that needed to be in person as a virtual course. This was hard for me since I do better in an interactive setting,” said Mejia. “My biggest fear is not getting into a graduate program or not being able to get a job. Not to mention not having an in person graduation. It sounds foolish but I put in so much effort so that my grandparents and parents could see me walk across the stage. Of course I did it for myself but I want my family to experience that since I am a first generation student.” After graduation, Mejia plans to go to grad school in fall of 2022 and study marriage and family therapy.
Yi Yu
Yi(Stephanie) Yu is an international student from China who had a difficult decision to make during the very beginning of the pandemic. Stephanie is graduating with a bachelors in film production and a minor in photography
“As an international student from China, the pandemic first impacted me with the ICE policy not allowing students with only online classes to stay in the US on top of a travel ban from China. Simply put, if I go back to China, I couldn’t come back to the US unless I have an in-person class, which was highly unlikely. The choice between being stuck in the US or China until the unforeseeable future really took a toll…The entertainment industry also got hit very hard. Studios try to let people out instead of inviting more people in. There’re less gigs to take even for those who are professional. On the other hand, it has pushed me to think of other ways to work. For instance, becoming a content creator, a freelancer, or even a writer.”
Stephanie is continuing to keep her head up due to a stronger chance of some sense of normalcy returning due to lower cases and more vaccination being readily available.
Yadira Gonzalez
Yadira Gonzalez is a broadcast journalism major. She explains that her fear after graduation is not being well prepared
“I fear not being well prepared for the position to which I am applying. Not getting the job, not having the right skills, disappointing myself and my employer, would be my biggest fear. I also fear that I won’t be able to carry the job on my back and have the experience needed for it that school was supposed to give us. I am optimistic about graduation, however, because I know that I was able to graduate as a first-generation college student during the middle of the pandemic. I am already happy because of that.”
Throughout the pandemic, these students have had to adapt to their new reality of online learning and post-graduation life during these challenging times. While no one expected to be in a global pandemic while also going to school, these seniors continued to perceiver and do the unimaginable. With commencement just around the corner, these graduates are ready to celebrate their accomplishments, while still preparing for the what might happen next.
