Ever given thought to life after school? Whether it's still years down the road from now or right around the corner, we sometimes can't help but think about the unknown. The job, the house, the income, the circle of friends, and the significant other are all looming ideas and hopes that we all come across, especially in our final stretch of school.
I knew I wanted to become a writer since I was in the seventh grade, so I studied it and today I'm living it. The friends I had in high school are the friends I have today and, yes, I believe I found a great partner. But as a post-secondary graduate of two years, there are still many things I'm working towards and that's okay.
In a recent report released by BMO, the question is posed: Does a degree lead to confidence? The short answer is yes, but the report shows that first- and second-year students were much more post-graduation-optimistic than their graduating colleagues.
Eighty per cent of students in their first and second year believed their degree would allow them to find a job that would enable them to buy a house and support a family, compared to about 66 per cent of the graduating class who believed the same. Also, 90 per cent of first- and second-year students believed they'd have strong career satisfaction, whereas the percentage dropped by 10 per cent for fourth- and fifth-year students.
But financials didn't affect graduating students as much as their freshman and sophomore classmates. Student debt seemed to be a bigger worry for first- and second-year students, resulting in two-thirds stressing about their loans. However, just half of graduating students worried about their debt and estimated they'd owe almost $22,000 after graduation, whereas students in their first and second years believed they'd have a student debt of over $30,000.
To alleviate the money owed and, hopefully, ease the worry, BMO suggests to minimize banking fees, take advantage of student status, and limit interest costs.
As a student, it's okay to be a little stressed; with the demands from coursework and the pressure to find a job in your field, it's sometimes inevitable. But we all go through it and we'll all get through it.
Photo: Shironosov/Thinkstock
Megan Santos is the staff writer for Jobpostings Magazine and Jobpostings.ca. She's a big time foodie with a love for books, basketball, and shoe shopping. Follow her on Twitter @megnifisantos.