Whim ‘n Rhythm and Graduating from College

I was editing my YouTube account tonight and I stumbled upon the cool video above (or click here). It’s Whim ‘n Rhythm singing “Landslide,” an old Stevie Nicks song. Incredibly soulful.

I never played an instrument and I don’t sing very well. So, I’m often impressed by people who do have ability. I thought this video was really cool and wanted to share it.

I met Whim ‘n Rhythm last fall (more here), and they struck me as such a genuine group. We talked about career management for a bit. I was the old alumnus back on campus, hanging for a bit with some college seniors navigating job interviews for the first time.

Fast forward a few months. They’re now about to graduate from college next month. Classes end Friday and they’ll then start to study for their final finals.

They’ve probably already made their career decisions. I can only imagine how excited they must feel, but also, that they might be nervous about leaving school, starting a job, and/or the status of personal relationships.

All this made me think of the tail end of my college years. I really loved my undergrad experience. But, it was time to grow up and graduate. Working on Wall Street in NYC was a truly eye-opening experience and a real shock. But, I learned a lot from it and I had to develop quickly more grit.

So, if you’re about to graduate from college, there’s no question that your life is about to change. But, you’re about to embark on a new adventure and can have a huge impact on the world. You’ll run into challenges, but it is amazing how persistence will buy enough time for things to all, well, really work out for its best.

If there’s one bit of advice I have for that first year out of college, it’s this: stay socially connected. Make the time to meet new folks. Volunteer. Keep in touch with your college buddies. Create and nourish a community around you. I joined a Bible study and it made a world of difference for me, though it was one year too late. It helped keep me grounded.

And, those college classmates right now who appear to have it all together and are so confident as graduation looms? Well, I suspect nearly all of them are faking it. With a month to go until Commencement, trust me on this: everyone is both excited and anxious.

So, don’t feel bad if that’s how you feel.

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