Life After Auburn

[Hillary Gibbs]

As graduation rapidly approaches, seniors all across Auburn's campus are coming to a crossroad in their lives. They are trying to figure out what they are going to do with their lives once college ends.

Finding a job in this struggling economy is not easy so some seniors have opted to go to graduate school or find an internship once their days at Auburn University are over.

Jessica Johnson, a senior in Radio/Television/Film, has chosen the graduate school route.

"My plans for after graduation have changed from day to day," said Johnson. "I was really hoping to get a job, but in this economy the job hunt has been a struggle. Now I'm considering graduate school to get my master's in education so that way I'll have more opportunities and more things to chose from after I get my master's degree."

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Graduate school comes with many benefits. Not only does it give students the opportunity to farther their education and a wider range of job opportunities after graduation, having a master's degree will also give students the opportunity to make more money when they find a job.

"A big incentive in my decision to go to graduate is that I can make up to $10,000 more a year with a master's degree than I could with just a bachelor's degree," said Johnson.

While some students are planning on continuing their education with graduate school, others are preparing themselves to enter the real world. Many seniors are either starting an internship or a full-time job in January.

There are also a number of seniors that are planning on moving back home once they graduate and living with their parents for a while.

Moving back home will allow students to save money until they are able to afford a place of their own. It can also give them a sense of security to have their parents there in this complicated and nerve racking time.

Whether they plan on going to graduate school, starting a job in a new city or moving back home, seniors around Auburn are finding themselves at a fork in the road. There is no right or wrong path to take. There is only the right path for the individual.

"My friends are all planning on doing different things once they graduate," said Johnson. "Some are going to graduate school. Some are moving back home. In the end, you have to decide what is best for you."