It's graduation week for many of us! The time of the year when we send our graduates off into the world to live out their dreams, live into their passions, and to make the world a better place... right!?
A couple of weeks a go I asked this question in my weekly poll:
What's the biggest issue facing graduating seniors?
Here are the results of the voting:
- A tough job market - 26%
- Unrealistic expectations about the future - 13%
- School debt - 13%
- The need for more education and/or experience - 13%
- A lack of direction for the future - 33%
The responses left by respondents, from all over the country, have left me wondering if we have done all that we could for our soon-to-be graduates...
Sure, there are a few of these issues that we do not have any control over - like the current job market, the amount of school debt that our students are taking on, or the need for more education and/or experience.
I do believe, however, that as ministers to college students a significant part of our service to them should include addressing those other issues - the issues of unrealistic expectations about the future, as well as helping them to discern vocational direction - during their university years.
I think the issue of unrealistic expectations could be addressed when we think with them about some of these cultural challenges:
- the consumeristic nature of our culture
- the instant gratification nature of our society
- worldly priorities and definitions of success
- the life of one who follows Jesus
Unrealistic expectations often make transitioning from college to 'the real world' extremely challenging - and can leave our students depressed and deflated when thinking about their road ahead.
Lacking direction for the future - the issue 1/3 of respondents identified as the biggest issue facing soon-to-be graduates - seems like one that we as college ministers should be dealing with on a regular basis. In fact, if we're not addressing the issue of vocation and vocational discernment in ongoing ways then I wonder if we're really doing college ministry.
The college years are such a unique season of life - one where students should be trying to understand what God has made them for - so if we're not asking questions surrounding vocation, passion, the future, following God after college, taking Jesus into the workplace, living the life of a disciple, etc., then I believe we are doing our students a serious disservice.
Now, I think it's important to mention that these issues of unrealistic expectations and lack of direction are made more challenging by the 'Emerging Adulthood' phase of life that has cropped up between youth and adulthood (an issue I talk about in Waiting to Grow Up and Waiting to Grow Up :: Part II). I believe this new season of life has made conversations related to these two issues - among others - more challenging for us to have with students... many just aren't ready to have them. But we need to encourage all of our students in that direction anyway.
So, what do you think?
Have you done all that you could to prepare your soon-to-be graduates for life after college?
Does your ministry with college students address the issue of unrealistic expectations?
Do you weave a steady stream of vocation-related questions into your conversations with your students?
I'd love to hear how this looks in your ministry. Thanks in advance for sharing - for there is SO much we can learn from each other!
Grace and peace.
[Take this week's poll - in the sidebar :: What's your biggest challenge with the summer break?]
