Graduation - Page 2

Ms3r4ISU · 05-09-2008, 04:22 PM

On Saturday afternoon after graduation and a family meal, I felt that I was being left behind -- by those who would return to campus in the fall. Odd huh? I knew I'd be getting married in a little over a month, so my future was set. But it didn't stop me from feeling lonely and nearly alone. It was like everybody else I knew would still be together, and I wouldn't.

Give yourself time to get accustomed to your new world. And then come back to campus, this board and athletic events, knowing you'd do it all over again in a heartbeat!

istatefan · 05-09-2008, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by brianhos

had a good job doing programming for a now defunct ames based company (EAI)

I had a friend that worked for EAI/UGS/EDI/etc ... He jokes that he worked for 5 different companies without ever changing (work) phone numbers.

superfan · 05-09-2008, 05:49 PM

It's bittersweet, but I'm really amped to get out of here. Part of the reason I can't wait is that the last two weeks have been simply brutal. I had something due pretty much every day Dead Week, and a Final every single day this week, last one at 7:30 this morning. After two straight weeks of nothing but 2-3 hours of sleep per night, I don't feel like I've got anything left in the tank.

I've just got so much to look forward to once I get out of here. Early next week I'm going to get the first pictures of my house...they poured the foundation on Thursday. I get to spend more than one month with my fiancee for the first time since 2004. First real vacation since that time, as well.

I imagine I'm really going to feel the twang eventually, probably right around August 28...

ISUKyro · 05-09-2008, 05:55 PM

Many mixed emotions for me. I had a job ready to go in Dallas and then they had a scandal and my position with many others was gone. I still moved anyway and took a low paying job for a year while I got my feet in some good doors. I still miss having that much fun while working that hard. Nothing can come close to that experience of the college life.

brianhos · 05-09-2008, 06:09 PM

More advice, take a month off before you start work, this is the last chance you get to just relax before you die.

Iastfan112 · 05-09-2008, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by brianhos

More advice, take a month off before you start work, this is the last chance you get to just relax before you die.

Lmao way to sound terribly morbid!

CyGuy33 · 05-09-2008, 07:01 PM

I loved my time and Iowa State and when I knew it was coming to an end it sucked. That's why I took the summer off and hung out at the pool with friends before I went to the real world. I will never understand the mindset of I'm ready to leave. Everytime I talk with someone like that I tell them never to leave. It doesn't get much better.

CyGuy33 · 05-09-2008, 07:02 PM

Superfan, wait till you start work and every week is like that

superfan · 05-09-2008, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by CyGuy33

Superfan, wait till you start work and every week is like that

Been working at my future job on and off since Spring '05. I should have a lot more time to myself based on my past experience. I actually have time to work out (thank God) and still get six to eight hours of sleep every night when I'm down there. The only time it ever got really crazy was early July of 2006. Early looks at the STS-121 launch had people worried that some debris had struck either the nose or the wing of the shuttle, and I walked in on Friday morning and was told to pack a bag, there was a good chance I'd be leaving on a flight Saturday morning to Buffalo for some emergency wind tunnel testing. Fortunately, everything turned out alright and I didn't need to go...

CyGal · 05-09-2008, 09:07 PM

I don't really remember being glad or sad to be done with college. I was already working 1/2 to 3/4 time at a job the entire 4 years I was in college, and I continued there full-time until the end of August after I graduated. I remember being happy to have the summer off, only the 2nd since I started college, but when classes started again in the fall, I began to miss having the extra work to keep me busy. I got bored easily and actually considered going back to school to get an MBA.

tec71 · 05-09-2008, 09:21 PM

I graduated in December and started law school in August. I had a nice 8 month programing job lined up during the interim. 8 months of solid debauchery (sp?). it was perfect preparation for 3 years of stress. I'm with bhos. Take as much time as your finances will allow you to. This will be your last chance to do so. I remember the night of graduation, my uncle gave me a $100 bill (in addition to the very nice gift he'd already given me). He walked up when I was alone. Held it up in front of my face and said "I don't want you to have anything to show for this in the morning. This is fun money." I think I left all of it at Peoples that night.

kilgore_trout · 05-09-2008, 09:29 PM

Don't go nuts financially, have some fun, go to grad school in three years.

brianhos · 05-09-2008, 10:25 PM

There are lots of advantages of being out of college:

More sleep
Weekends free (no studying)
You get to read what you want to
You buy beer by taste, and not by price
See above
See above again, but substitute food.
Better seats at football games
Drive a nicer car

Psyclone · 05-09-2008, 11:00 PM

I had a job lined up, had an apartment rented and headed out to Cedar Rapids the Saturday after my last week. I don't remember if that was after classes ended or after finals week. Finals were required for graduating seniors if my memory serves.

Anyway I had the car loaded with my stuff and spend most of Saturday unpacking and getting it in the apartment. When I finally got everything done, it was around 6:00 PM on a Saturday night when it dawned on me all of a sudden. I'm in a strange town, don't know anybody and it's Saturday night. So I hoped in the car and went out looking for something to do. I kind of got lost but found my way to a road that would take me back to my apt in Marion.

When I got back to where I knew where I was, I saw a little bar near where the library now is. I stopped in and ended up getting a lesson in the quadrants of Cedar Rapids on a bar napkin. I was pretty lonely. Then I remembered there were twin girls that went to ISU and lived in Marion so I looked up their number and gave them a call. They invited me out to their house for popcorn and a movie, cards or a game. It saved me. Sunday I was busy out getting stuff for the apartment and I started work on Monday and have been at the same place for 34 years and counting.