Life After UARK
The differing timelines, expectations and experiences of University of Arkansas students leaving college behind and entering the work force.
College is an independent institution of higher learning offering a course of general studies leading to a degree.
For many, it's a traditional path made up of class lectures, late-night study sessions and the anticipation of getting your cap and gown for graduation. Society has set the norm: enroll in college, earn a degree and get a job; in reality, though, this is not the case for everyone.
Many students are redefining success on their own terms, embracing untraditional paths that go against the norm. Whether that is a gap year, online school, trade school or pursuing a career that doesn't involve their major, people are realizing that everyone's journey is different.
It is important to honor the diverse experiences of people. The college experience is rich and varied, and with this, so too is the experience of when college is in our rearview mirrors.
Post-grad is a word that scares the wits out of most students, especially as it means the ending of one season and the beginning of another. More than this, though, it is terrifying in the way that it becomes a breeding ground for comparison.
Should I already have a job lined up? Do I qualify for the jobs that I want? My friend just received an offer for her dream job, and I haven’t heard back about a single application! What if I graduate and have no plans lined up?
We all have asked ourselves these anxiety-inducing questions before, but we are here to spread the word: no one’s journey looks the same, and it’s okay for your days ahead to look different from that of your friends, classmates and family members.
Whichever way you slice it, life after college is upon us and that's scary. But take a breath, do what you need to do and let what is meant for you come to you in its own time. Because it will happen!
Resilient Lifelong Learner
Rachell Sanchez-Smith, 22, is a senior journalism and political science double-major student at the University of Arkansas.
Her path has been unique and untraditional, but it has shaped her into the woman she is today.
As a December 2024 soon-to-be graduate, she is excited about the next step in her journey; however, that next step is unknown to her. She is not worried about having the normal path of getting a job secured upon graduation, rather she embraces and goes after what will work best for her, which is a fellowship.
Her advice to other soon-to-be graduates is to strive and continue to learn. Don’t be afraid that your route during or after college is different rather embrace it.
I spoke with Rachell about her time as a student, the reason for an abrupt gap year and the possibilities for life after college.
Dream Career Jumpstart
Olivia (Liv) Lett, 25, is a labor and delivery nurse (L&D) at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital in Johnson, Arkansas.
But only two years ago, she was a senior nursing student at the University of Arkansas. Quickly coming upon her graduation in December 2022, she was wracked with nerves about what form her life would shape into after finishing school and how long it would take her to find a job.
Unlike most, Lett’s post-grad job search was abnormal in that she only applied for one job. She had a helpful networking connection that led to an interview, and almost immediately she was going through orientation.
Not long after, she was officially a L&D nurse at Siloam Springs Regional Hospital – her lifelong dream job. It was where she worked for a year and a half until her OB unit temporarily closed only a few weeks ago. This is when she made the jump with some of her coworkers and transferred to Willow Creek Women's Hospital.
The following video is an interview I conducted with Liv, discussing her expectations as a senior in college, her experience applying for and working in her first post-grab job, and what she loves about her professional career.
Breaking Boundaries on an Accelerated Journey
“Find something you are passionate about and it will never feel like you are working a day in your life.” -Mom
If you asked me three years ago what I wanted to study in college or do professionally afterwards…I would tell you, “I have no idea!” It wasn’t until my first semester of college that I knew I wanted to pursue sports journalism. I was told, “Journalists don’t make money,” or, “You’re a girl who wants to pursue a predominantly male career,” but my passion for sports goes beyond those comments and serves as a reminder to fuel my motivations and prove them wrong.
Also, it doesn’t help that I crammed my college experience into three years so that I could graduate early, because I genuinely have F.O.M.O and I rushed into adulthood quickly, too. You win some and you lose some, but for life after college that is something that I do not want to lose.
Right now, I am in this weird spot of it is too early to apply for jobs, but I don’t want to be late to the game and miss out on any opportunity that could benefit my future career. I can’t apply for jobs because they aren’t going to hold a job for months, but I feel like I can’t just sit around and do nothing.
For me, I want to be an on-air personality that tells the stories of athletes beyond their uniforms. Athletes are so much more than their sports careers or stats, and it is important to remember that.
Ideally, I would like to have a job after college, but not just any job. I want a company that values what I bring to the table and my individuality and also wants to challenge me and help me to continue and grow on-camera.
I have backups, just in case, but I am not going to settle just because it's the norm to have a job after college and have your life figured out. Instead, I am at ease with knowing that everything happens for a reason and that I will be okay.
It’s my senior year and most likely the last year of college for some of you, too, so let’s have fun because it is important to balance college and social life.
College will get you that degree, but it won’t guarantee a job you see, so go live life to the fullest because you’ll find joy in your final moments of college.
Ten Years Toward Journalism
What do you want to be? What are your plans?
I remember one specific day in the seventh grade – it was Spanish class, I believe – when our teacher asked us students these two questions. I had never known, not really. I knew that I adored reading, I always had the best handwriting and I had a knack for Texas UIL Creative Writing.
So, I decided to tell my teacher and peers at 13 years old that I wanted to be a journalist for Fox News.
While I no longer want to be an anchor for this news station – or any others, for that matter – I do still want to be a writer. It is something I have been working on relentlessly for the last six years; four years in undergrad and what will be two years in May when I earn my master’s degree in News/Narrative Journalism.
It’s funny; people still ask what I want to be, what I want to do once my education is complete. To this, I say I want to work in the magazine industry as a writer and editor of lifestyle, art, culture, entertainment and travel written content.
Photo 1: Undergraduate graduation ceremony in 2023, Bachelor's in News/Editorial Journalism. Photo 2: First freelance piece in Celebrate! Arkansas Magazine. Photo 3: Reporting at the first annual FORMAT Festival. Photo 4: Writing in a Sicilian tea cafe. Courtesy: Alyssa Riley
I want to be on podcasts – or have my own – and I would love to create and run my own magazine one day. I would also really enjoy academia, putting my teaching assistant skills to good use by providing younger students with what I didn’t have: an early education in journalistic writing. I also want to be an author of fictional novels; preferably romance or mystery.
I want to touch people with my words, make them feel seen, heard and understood. I want to do it all, simply, because there’s hardly much that I love more than storytelling, media and creating content.
As for how I’m going to do this, I am hoping to figure that out in the Spring before I graduate. Journalism, to me, seems like an industry in which employers hire for time-sensitive roles. I don’t think I will have much luck applying now, eight months away from graduation, and finding a job that would wait for me.
However, I am mindful in keeping my options open, both in the job type and location, as well as hopeful that I will find the right one when the time comes.
For now, I am focusing on my commitments that already paint me as a professional writer: my staff writer position for Walton Insights, my writing internship for Hogs+ Sports Network and my role as a journalism teaching assistant.
With these stories and personal accounts, if we can pass on one sliver of recommendation to you, it's to be where your feet are at. If you're still in school, soak it up. If you're looking for a job, have patience and surety that the right one will find you. If you already graduated and that dream job hasn't surfaced, keep trying.
You are not alone. One day we will all look back on this season of endings and beginnings with fondness and clarity - because our times are coming and all the stress, late nights and immense effort will all have been worth it.
Built with Shorthand