Students Confront the End of Their University Careers

he academic year at Massey is starting to reach its end, our StudyLink payments are disappearing into the sunset and most of us are not sure what we’ll do without them. Many of us have been at studying for at least three years, and being a student is an integral part of our identity. At the end of this year, there will be no worrying about assignments, no 8am lectures and no glorious course-related costs to spend on something not course-related. Some students have a crystal-clear visiton of what graduating looks like for them, and some have no fucking idea. 

Regan is finishing up this year and has mixed feelings about her time as an undergraduate coming to an end. She’s finishing up at the end of this year, and then heading off to Waikato to take a full immersion reo Māori course called Te Tohu Paetahi. 

“I’m so excited to be done with undergrad 90% of the time, the other 10% is just anxiety. What if my grades were actually so bad that I’ll never get internship opportunities? What if I’ll never actually be good enough to achieve my dreams, no matter how big or small? The overwhelming feeling, I have though, is gratitude,” she tells Massive. 

There are so many different paths to take once you’ve graduated. Some people will go straight into working or decide to extend their pain and take on a postgrad course. One student, Jean, an honours Design student, isn’t sure if she wants to pursue either of those options. She’s known she wanted to study design at Massey since she was 12, so she’s not quite ready to let go of that identity yet. 

“It’s been so long of just going to uni and doing on my own projects, not working for anyone in such a weird time with [Covid-19]. I haven’t really pictured myself outside of being a uni student. I love design, but I don’t necessarily think I want to go out and get a proper design job like two weeks after I finish studying. Making money and climbing up the career ladder isn’t the most important thing for me right now. I know I’m always going to be able to draw and be creative outside of uni, so I’m happy just living my life. I just want to make my coffees at my work and live for a little bit,” Jean says. 

She does have ultimate career goals once study is over though, she’s passionate about conservation and hopes to work as a designer for the Department of Conservation one day. 

For Caitlin, also finishing up her Design degree this year, the prospect of leaving uni and joining the workforce is an exciting yet nerve wracking one. She’s dealing with a lot of uncertainty because none of her plans after she graduates are set in stone. Trying to be proactive, she sent out her portfolio to a bunch of design companies and got back what she described as “positive” rejections. 

“It’s obviously daunting, I’ve gotten into the habit of calling myself a student. It’s going to be a lot scarier dealing with real clients. Something I keep telling myself is that, for the past four years I’ve been paying to do what I love, but next year someone will pay me to do what I love. That’s really exciting,” she says. 

For those of us who have to complete summer school, the fear about StudyLink payments not coming through anymore isn’t so great. We can coast for a little longer while working part-time and not doing a whole lot. For others though, the fear of financial insecurity is beginning to hit home. Abby is finishing her degree soon and is trying to cement plans post-studying that will allow her to pay all her bills. 

“I had this idea in my head that once uni is over, I’m going to be super rich from working full-time which just isn’t true. I’m still going to have to pay rent and power and all that without the assistance from StudyLink, it’s extremely daunting.” 

Ruby has dealt with the undergrad anxiety before, and decided to pursue her honours after finishing. Despite being ready for a break from the gruelling life of academia, she’s feeling nervous about the transition to full-on adult life. 

“I’m looking forward to start a life that is more tangible than just grades, essays and tests. I feel like I’ve moved on from my university self, it’s like I’m a new person stuck in the same old place. I’m excited to move on to the ‘real world’ and fully develop and understand myself,” she tells Massive. 

Despite the excitement to flourish in the grown-up world, like a lot of, she’s feeling nervous about the financial side of things. 

“Once uni is done, I’m moving back to my hometown. Rent is more expensive but I can move home and find a job so I can afford to pay rent there. Basically, I’m ready to leave uni but I’m not sure what my life will look like once I’m away from StudyLink funding,” she says. 

The main burden a lot of students are faced with is finding a job relevant to the degree they’ve put themselves into major debt to achieve. Massive’s very own Caroline has some words of wisdom for students about to finish up at uni. 

“It’s tough out there, and I really understand the anxiety that people face when leaving university. At the same time, make sure not to rush into anything just because of that anxiety. I did that and ended up working full-time while also having to write my dissertation. I almost wish I had relaxed a little bit, waited until I’d graduated, had a last summer with my friends before making the big transition from studying to working. Uni is a big, tiring thing. It’s okay to take a breath and figure out your next steps,” she says. 

She also offered some advice about entering the workforce after graduating. 

“My advice is to really perfect the art of writing a good cover letter. Don’t copy and paste the same bullshit about your time management skills. Make it specific to each job, show that you’re interested. It takes a bit of time, but it makes the world of difference. Also consider working for your local student magazine, you get paid to write, illustrate or take photos which is a mean bit of experience and looks great on your CV.” 

At the end of the day, try not to devote too much of your energy on the ‘what ifs’, focus on getting your assignments in, or studying for your exams. If you’re super stressed about your career or study options, then the Massey academic advisers are a real hit. Work hard, don’t take StudyLink payments for granted, and remember to drink water. It’ll all work out.