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Preparing Graduates for the Realities of Adult Life
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Preparing Graduates for the Realities of Adult Life
It's the day the Class of 2004 has been looking toward for a long time: graduation. The actual ceremony is a rite of passage complete with robes, caps, speakers, gifts, and depending on your school, even some confetti and a band. But after all the awards, diplomas, and scholarships are handed out, the graduates must face an even greater challenge than an AP biology test or the Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge: Students must face the real world.
Sure, more than half of high school graduates hide from the realities of the real world by heading to college, the most common sanctuary. But a solid percentage won't have the luxury of having their life padded by dorm rooms, cafeteria food, and the safe, bubblelike living that college affords. Some will actually have to get a full-time job (or two), pay their own insurance, and (gasp) move out of their parent's house. While paying electric bills, car insurance, and finding friends comes naturally to some, it’s a shock to others.
How can you prepare your students for real-world living? Here are a few ideas:
1. Don't let graduates feel left behind. Around the spring semester, every high school senior is being asked the same question over and over: "What are you going to do after graduation?" Most students rattle off a summer job, project, or trip followed by the name of a college or university. But many students don't choose to pursue higher education for financial or personal reasons. I've had a number of high school friends say they felt like a failure because they never went to college or left the local area. When you have the entire world ahead of you, it can be humbling to stay in your hometown, especially when it's a small one.
As a youth worker, it's important to encourage all of your students—especially those who are going to remain in the area. Encourage them in their work and personal choices. Look for ways to help them transition into the church body as an adult. Do they want to play a bigger role in working with the youth group? Is there another area of service or church life they can get involved with? Look for ways to help graduates expand their view of their lives and themselves.
Sure, more than half of high school graduates hide from the realities of the real world by heading to college, the most common sanctuary. But a solid percentage won't have the luxury of having their life padded by dorm rooms, cafeteria food, and the safe, bubblelike living that college affords. Some will actually have to get a full-time job (or two), pay their own insurance, and (gasp) move out of their parent's house. While paying electric bills, car insurance, and finding friends comes naturally to some, it’s a shock to others.
How can you prepare your students for real-world living? Here are a few ideas:
1. Don't let graduates feel left behind. Around the spring semester, every high school senior is being asked the same question over and over: "What are you going to do after graduation?" Most students rattle off a summer job, project, or trip followed by the name of a college or university. But many students don't choose to pursue higher education for financial or personal reasons. I've had a number of high school friends say they felt like a failure because they never went to college or left the local area. When you have the entire world ahead of you, it can be humbling to stay in your hometown, especially when it's a small one.
As a youth worker, it's important to encourage all of your students—especially those who are going to remain in the area. Encourage them in their work and personal choices. Look for ways to help them transition into the church body as an adult. Do they want to play a bigger role in working with the youth group? Is there another area of service or church life they can get involved with? Look for ways to help graduates expand their view of their lives and themselves.
