Alumni: What do you have to show for it?

Colleges & Universities University of California - Berkeley
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<p>I know we have a couple alums on this forum and maybe more ‘fresh’ alums, but this question is for the “older” alumni who can “look back” and give some perspective for the board. Hopefully to inspire the rest of us as we look forward going out into a bad economy as many other grads the past few years have. </p>

<p>I’m sure you’re all smart and dedicated and active and sociable and that Berkeley contributed to you growing as a person. But at the end of the day you get your diploma, whatever knowledge you scrapped up in your years here, lots of new friends and networks, entrance into a good grad program, maybe a good job, and all those other goodies.</p>

<p>Looking back and looking at yourself now, what do you really honestly have to show for all your hard efforts when you were here? What has really validated all the work you did in college? (inb4: you need to reassess yourself if you’re looking for validation from others) Is it your job? Is it your grad program? Is it friends/lovers/networks? Is it money? Is it happiness or any of the other intangibles? </p>

<p>This isn’t really just a Q for Cal alums, but really any college graduate. I just posted here because Cal alums are the best. :stuck_out_tongue: Plus it may relate more since we’re all bears here.</p>

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<p>It meant that I could get paid for doing what I like doing in the area of my major. And yes, many of the concepts in the courses for my major did apply to situations and projects in work.</p>

<p>Of course, with 20/20 hindsight, I might have made some slightly different course selections.</p>

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<p>A degree that is recognized world-wide, which is todays’ global economy cannot be under-estimated. In the US, we talk about college “fit”. In the rest of the world, they talk about college prestige, and working internationally, only the latter is important.</p>

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<p>Very broad question. The general answer, I think, is reflected in the lines of a 1970 Neil Young song: “Some are bound for happiness, some are bound to glory, some are bound to live with less, who can tell your story?”</p>

<p>As a UCLA alum, what do I have to show for it? Would I have changed anything?</p>

<p>To me, it’s what you put into it and what you choose to take away from it. I honed and fine tuned my critical thinking skills. I learned to open up, to express myself, and not be afraid to express my point of view. I learned that it was okay to ask seemingly (and actually) silly questions and not be totally embarrassed. Self-confidence – I learned that. I learned to laugh at myself. Now, you might think these social coping skills are inane, but they are perhaps the most critical part of life after college! Because then it’s easier to get your foot in the door – for grad school, jobs, social groups.</p>

<p>Aside from that, the “stuff” (tangible and intangible) was that I met the love of my life there; I enjoy the alumni/networking & mentoring current undergrads; love being part of the spirit at sporting events (and believe me, for UCLA football, you really have to have a sense of humor!); and love going back for extension programs and specific programs and events related to my major.</p>

<p>In hindsight, the only thing I might have changed was finding time to get involved in more on campus activities and sporting events. But going full time and working 2 part time jobs made the extra-curriculars a little difficult.</p>

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<p>@ crowslayer: Awesome thread! I consider these sorts of questions all the time. It’s great hearing the alumni input, and it’s reaffirming that I’m doing something notable. </p>

<p>I wonder what I’m going to do next year and for the rest of my life. At times, I feel as if I’m in this existential funk trying to figure out what on Earth I’m going to do. I know tons of college kids go through this, but this has become something that I’ve been dwelling on too much. At other times, I consider the obvious point that kids do go through this all the time in college, and that the majority now have successful careers and families. </p>

<p>But the essence of what I’m getting at is this: There’s college and then there’s post-college plans/career, and the latter is daunting. I find myself paralyzed when considering what my future career could even entail, because unfortunately unlike ucbalumnus, I won’t be paid for what I’m majoring in, as I’m not planning on going into psychology, and unlike bluebayou, I don’t currently have any interest working overseas. </p>

<p>I do have ideas: real estate, law, grad school in education policy, writing, philosophy etc. However, none of these seem to satisfy me conceptually. </p>

<p>Lately I’ve been thinking about the difference between childhood and adulthood - what marks this separation? Age 18 is arbitrary imo. I’m curious to know what you guys think. Often times I’m conflicted. I’ve been having difficulty reconciling the thoughts and emotions I experience with my output externally. Sure, I can go to work, attend lecture, do research, and convince myself that it’s all worthwhile, but these efforts contrast what I genuinely want. These are more like things I “should” do. </p>

<p>One could speculate that I’m lacking meaning in my life, but that really isn’t the case. My theory and current understanding of myself is that I’m lodged in some sort of awkward, transition period where I’m attempting to reconcile the differences between my internal and external worlds, and perhaps to a degree, everyone experiences this. And due to this, I find myself considering the reality of what is to come in my life. Perhaps this process is the transition to adulthood or part of it? </p>

<p>My bad for the philosophical spin…just felt like the right time to voice these things in this thread.</p>

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<p>Actually, brilliant response from Emilsinclair, because the question really is philosophical in nature. And Emil’s response addresses so many of the issues wrestled with by the majority of upper division undergrads – like getting close to graduation, arrrgh! What do I do now? Where do I go from here? What can I do with what I’ve learned?</p>

<p>Seriously, most students between 21 and 25 are fairly independent and fairly responsible, but still very indecisive as to their future. Most spend more than a fair amount of time debating (often with themselves while they try to sleep!) idealistic urges vs. monetary necessities.</p>

<p>Good reason to take a gap year to try and get yourself focused. I did that. My husband took off two years. I know many others that took off one or two years to give these “rest of life career decisions” some serious consideration.</p>

<p>I ended up going to law school, which turned out to be a really good fit for me. Being an English lit major as an undergrad made life in law easy, fun, and interesting. I have never regretted one day of it – I love what I do, and I did not have to sell out. Actually, I think that was my greatest concern in finding a career path – selling out.</p>

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<p>@ UCLA77: Thanks! As for the gap year, I don’t plan on going to graduate school right away. I’m definitely taking at least a year or two off to work in real estate. But we’ll see! And congratulations to you and your husband on your successful careers! </p>

<p>Anyone else on alumni news/tips/advice? :)</p>

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<p>For me: </p>

<p>Great memories
Proud alum
Rewarding career
Financial stability* </p>

<p>*I attribute this to several factors:

  1. Personal finance discipline which wasn’t taught at Berkeley
  2. Graduating with a lucrative degree
  3. Low cost of degree/minimal student loan debt</p>

<p>I realize not every alum has these luxuries.</p>

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<p>Cal 1986 here. At Cal I learned to think for myself. I learned not to worry so much about everything, though, I admit, I’m still working on that. I got my first “C’s” and the world did not end. I was very active in the co-ops, and as a result, learned about compromise, management, making things work. I learned to appreciate and love people of all colors, interests, kinds. (That was one of the greatest things I took from Berkeley.) I learned to speak my mind. </p>

<p>I’ve gone on, earned a law degree, and now have a successful career, family, stability. I still think fondly on my days at Cal. It shaped who I am and every day, as I look across my office at my penant, picture of the Campanile, and my “Berkeley gnome” I smile.</p>

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<p>^^ God I love hearing that. Thank you!</p>

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<p>Anyone go through the i-banker/finance route after Berkeley? Any advice to a prospective monkey?</p>

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<p>Resurrection! Because I’m curious about Demoz’s question too</p>

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<p>@meep1234, I graduated in 1997 during what was considered at the time one of the bigger recessions (this was right before the dot com boom). Employment rate was pretty high, money was tight, the UCs kept raising fees (well, the fee hikes weren’t that bad compared to now, but we were certainly outraged). After I graduated, I went through a whole series of jobs (that’s more telling of how I was and not what I learned at Berkeley) and almost every single one of those jobs hired me because of where I got my degree (and none of those jobs remotely related to what I studied, which was Landscape Architecture). Bottom line? I would definitely choose to attend Berkeley again.</p>