Notes from Under the Oaks | May 2015

As we move on to new stages of our lives there’s always a moment of reflection. Walking around campus after my last undergraduate final, I wonder what I’ll miss most about this university. Maybe the liveliness that comes from an institution of higher education or the sense of endless enlightenment and opportunity. It could be a detail as simple and generally overlooked as the oak trees or Trombley Square. While reminiscing on four years spent at this university, it’s hard not to feel anxious about the future. Pacific University has become my comfort zone. There are many aspects of this university I will miss, but the underlying feeling I have felt all semester is fear.

For most seniors the end of the school year is celebrated with a sigh of relief. Finals are over. Let the graduation celebration begin. But what happens after that? By 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, the Class of 2015 will be released into the professional world. For some, this may mean graduate school. For others it’s taking the first steps toward building a career. And I’m sure there are a group of us who don’t know where exactly we are going or what our future has in store. I can’t say that I am not caught in the middle of this dilemma. After spending four years in the protective bubble of this university, I’m not afraid to admit the real world is scary.

So where should graduates find comfort? For me, it has been through the many exchanges I have had with alumni. They were in my shoes at one point in time whether it be two years or 20. And, somehow, they were able to navigate the dark, bleary career path and survived to tell the tale. One recent example of my exchange with alumni happened during Senior Projects Day. Mindy Cameron ’65 and Laura Frye ’65 attended my journalism senior capstone on April 22. I was thrilled to have alumni attend my presentation, which discussed the current state of independent newspapers in Oregon. I was also greatly relieved when they wanted to talk about the many aspects of my project with me after the presentation. So many of the points they addressed had to do with their lives as a business owner and newspaper editor. As their thoughts about the media market were expressed to me I felt somehow on the right track. The concerns they were addressing with online advertising, circulation size and the changing media market were all aspects of my presentation that they had experienced through their careers and in turn what I had been studying for the past nine months. This made me feel prepared for the future, or at least reassured me that I have a general understanding of the journalism market.

Finding comfort in shared interest with alumni is one way I have tried to ward off the fear of entering into the “real world.” I’m sure I am not alone in my feelings of uncertainty, but overall this is a time to cherish. Never again in my life will I be able to make a career decision with no strings attached. There is something special about a brand new graduate and that is the endless opportunities that we are presented. This is a time for exploration, professional development and another stage in discovering who we want to be as adults. Pacific University has shaped me as an academically driven person. I can’t wait to see how the professional world will shape my career and my life.