Entries tagged with “Graduation” from Hawk Talk - Guthrie

This past weekend marks the end of my undergraduate career at UMass Lowell. I will be going on to get my master’s degree in plastics engineering here at UML, but only on a part time basis. I am eager to get out into the work force and try to make some money.

I went back and read some of my old blogs, including the first one I ever wrote entitled “Back to School at last…” In this blog, I wrote about how I was tired of working full time, and how I wanted to stay in school for my master’s degree. I can certainly say that a lot has changed since then.

I am certainly not in a big hurry to get my master’s degree. Since I have spent the past four month’s job searching, I have found a master’s degree with no experience is not any better than a bachelor’s degree with little to no experience. Typically companies want 3-5 years of experience with a master’s degree for a job better than entry level. For this reason, I think it would be the best idea for me to get my master’s degree part time, while getting the experience I need.

As far as being tired of working full time, I think I am ready to enter the work place. When I start at NxStage Medical in January, it will mark the beginning of my fourth internship (my third in the medical devices industry). I think I know most of the Do’s and Don’ts of the workplace. I plan to work very hard to get a promotion to a full time position.

I feel like I have had a very successful college career at UMass Lowell. I built myself a powerful resume. I have worked three internships. I have lived on campus as a resident and a residential advisor. I have lived off campus with friends, lived off campus with my girlfriend, and even spent six months 200 miles away from campus. I have made many friends, and very few enemies. I am glad to say that I have no regrets about the past 4.5 years.

So if you are entering college, or you are part way through your college career; here is my advice:

• Build your resume: I know it’s a tough market, but apply for internships, and take the job. Even if you think something might be below you, you can learn a lot and build some good references.
• Go to class: I constantly hear people complaining about 8:30 classes. Give me a break! When you are working full time you will probably have to be in at 7:00 everyday. Nothing will make you look better than near perfect attendance, whether that is in the eyes of a teacher or employer.
• Have some fun, but take things seriously: You don’t need to go to college to party 5-7 nights a week. Whether you are taking out student loans, or your parents are paying, or you won the lottery; college is expensive. Don’t let that money go to waste. Keep up with your homework and study hard so that you will get the grades you deserve.
• Get connected: Get involved, meet some people, and make some friends. Everyone encourages you to join societies and groups. There’s a good reason for that; people who get involved with their campus do better in school.

Thanks for reading everyone, best of luck to you!

Happy Holidays!

Here is the sweet half of it: I have a job, only a co-op, not a full time engineer, but nonetheless a job. In today’s tough economy, I am glad to have an entry level position in a field that I am interested in. I am also on the verge of accomplishing the most challenging task I have taken on so far; studying for my bachelor’s degree. I really beat the odds too, coming from a vocational high school; I was not even expected to go to college. I’ve managed to pull my GPA out of the hole I dug for it my first two years. Going from a 2.5 to a 3.0 is a serious challenge. I will be walking in the spring. I will not be cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude, but that does not matter to me. I am proud of myself for what I have done.

Here is the bitter half of it: I will be saying goodbye to what has been my life for the past 4.5 years. I will no longer be a full time college student. I know that I have a lot of growing up to do. Society pressures us to get married and start a family soon after graduation. That’s how my older sister did it, that’s how my girlfriend’s older sister did it. And quite frankly, it scares the life out of me. Above all, the scariest part is that life will be taken off of auto-pilot. When you are a student, you have a schedule and a curriculum laid out for you:

·         2 tbsp. of electives

·          1 cup of gen ed’s

·          2 cups of core classes

·          bring to a boil

·          reduce heat and simmer for 8 semesters.

But now, there is no set path, no recipe for life. I have spent a good amount of time searching for a direction. I have been looking for someone or something to tell me what to do next. I have finally come to the conclusion that there is no one to tell me what to do, I have to make my own way.

In conclusion, I have long thought that college was supposed to be the ‘best time of your life.’ I felt like leaving college was the end of my young life. Now I see things in a different perspective. When I realized that I have unlimited opportunities and potential, I came to understand that I can mold my life anyway I want to. I am starting a journey, not as a passenger, but as the driver. I am excited to get out into the real world and make a name for myself. “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

Thanks for reading.

I have decided that I am going to sign up for 1 or 2 night classes next semester towards my master’s degree at UMass Lowell. I have been actively applying for both full time and internship positions. I have also narrowed down my search field to the medical devices industry. Two of my previous internships worked with medical devices, and I find this field to be the most interesting and the most meaningful to me.

I had originally hoped that I would find a full time employer that would reimburse any classes I took. However, I am finding that the job market is a lot tougher than I had hoped. I am going to stay optimistic, and hope to find an opening somewhere in the next couple of months. But I have accepted the fact that I may not have a job lined up for me right when I get out of school.

I think that patience and determination are going to be the keys to my success. With time, I am sure things will work out for me. I’ll be sure to keep my eyes and ears open, and to keep my head up.

For any of you out there who are actively job searching, know that you are not alone, stay positive, and don’t give up. For any of you going into school now, keep in mind that it’s a tough world. You need to make yourself a valuable candidate while you are in school. Do whatever you can to build your resume, because in the end it will pay off. A friend of mine who graduated recently told me to “Always plan things out two steps in advance,”

Hopefully the economy will get better, and many new jobs open up, but we cannot rely on it. We need to take control of our own futures.

Thanks for reading, good luck out there!