Maan on the street: How ready are you to leave Purdue?
Boilermakers reflect on the looming graduation into adulthood
My name is Maan Bajnaid. I’m a senior in Materials Engineering. I came to Purdue from Saudi Arabia thinking I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
I would receive a prestigious degree that came with an exemplary educational experience and go back to Saudi Arabia for graduate school. I would bury my head deep into my research. I would make a breakthrough to become distinguished. Lastly, after I would have reached the pinnacle of knowledge, I would dedicate the remainder of my life teaching young people to reach their own pinnacle. Great plan. Very linear. Things occur in the right sequence.
Oh, except for the fact that everything changes on the first step.
During freshman year, I was obsessed with getting a good GPA because I thought that was best measure of how well someone did in college. After going to my first career fair, I realized companies look at way more. I also felt like nailing the interviews with a good first impression was key to being considered for employment
I was told by one of my professors here that college is a place where you don’t just learn, but you figure out what you want to do with your life. That makes sense, since there is a diverse pool of students from all over the world coming here to learn about a diverse pool of degrees, each providing access to a diverse pool of jobs. In a mix like that you’re bound to run into something you don’t mind doing for the rest of your life.
Well, I sure did. My issue is not that I don’t have options, but that I am so easily fascinated by what everyone else is doing that I think, “Yo! That sounds bananas! What’s that like? Maybe I should do it too!” I swimmingly skip through the exclamation marks in my life, but this one question mark has me stopping in my tracks, “What comes next?” So I went on the street to ask what other fellow Purdue students had in mind.
Maan on the Street:
I asked several students what they are doing after college and whether or not they feel prepared for “real life.”
Jon Maurer, senior in Agricultural Economics
What are your post-graduation plans?
“My plan after college is to eventually get a permanent job. I don’t think GPA is that important because grading is subjective. Although recruiters say atitude is more important than aptitude, they will still reject you for not having a high enough GPA. What’s most important is that the recruiter likes you.”
Are you ready for life after college?
“I’m not sure, we’ll have to wait and see.”
Michelle McKinney, senior in Materials Engineering
What are your post-graduation plans?
“I want to work for a steel company as a metallurgist. I think that recruitment is based partially on GPA and partially on experience, but both are equally important. I take pride in having a high GPA, but there are more important things than getting good grades.”
Are you ready for life after college?
“No! Not at all. I am not ready to be an adult yet.”
Joey Danial, junior in Computer Engineering
What are your post-graduation plans?
“I want to work for the company I’m co-oping with [Fiat Chrysler]. Maybe through them, I can pursue a master’s degree. My GPA is personally important to me because I got a 4.0 so I pressure myself to keep it up. I think it’s not that important, but it could be helpful in scoring opportunities.”
Are you ready for life after college?
“Yeah. I’ve been working on and off, so I’m ready for the real world. However, I prefer being a student for as long as possible.”
Shannon Roberts, freshman in Nursing
What are your post-graduation plans?
“I don’t really know what I want to do after college. I am open to a lot of things. I think that my GPA is a reflection of my understanding and know that it has consequences on my opportunities. Still, I don’t think it should be anyone’s goal in college to just get a high GPA.”
Are you ready for life after college?
“No! That’s why I’m here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be paying all this tuition.”
Laura Janneck, junior in Japanese
What are your post-graduation plans?
“After college I want to translate Japanese books to English. GPA shouldn’t be important, but employers care about it. I know a 4.0 student that didn’t make it to the interview process. I mean, I can cram for a test and ace it, but still not be able to tell you what I learned the week after.”
Are you ready for life after college?
“Probably not. There’s a lot I can do: research, editing, translation and so on, but I can’t decide.”
Ivy Wang, junior in Hospitality Tourism Management
What are your post-graduation plans?
“I probably want to go back to China to work in a hotel. I don’t think recruiters look into it as much as your resume, but it may be important for graduate school. My class average is around a 3.5 so I have to have a high GPA.”
Are you ready for life after college?
“Maybe. I had an internship.”
Mitch Rencheck, senior in Materials Engineering
What are your post-graduation plans?
“After college, I want to go to graduate school either here or at Ohio State. I think that GPA is more important for graduate school, but it can still be beneficial for getting an opportunity for an interview. I think it’s just a number.”
Are you ready for life after college?
“Yeah! I have the appropriate education, I’ve gone through the student life and I think I’m mature enough to handle it.”
While at Purdue, I got to do so many things unrelated to my field of study. I was a resident assistant at Harrison Hall for a year and a half. I was treasurer of the Purdue Fighting Game Club for a semester. In my free time, I also learned how to write music.
Furthermore, I am a conversational person, so I had extended conversations on the most ridiculously random things I could think of with a vast variety of people. What I’m trying to say is, “I learned a shit-ton!” A lot more than I expected to in my original plan.
Now a senior, I have many options laid out and few decisions made. Am I ready for life after college? I don’t know, but it’s coming either way.