So you’re finishing your third year of your degree and getting ready to start your last. The big day is only 8 months away. What sort of things should you do to help make the transition from university to graduation, to the real world easier? I will take a few minutes to go through it for you. 

Before I get into the most exciting time in your undergraduate career let me first begin by addressing you first and second years and all the tedious work that actually goes into a degree and getting a job later on. I subscribe to the philosophy that being prepared is the best offense and there is no such thing as too much planning.

Useful experienced tips:

• Set up an appointment with your faculty student advisor(s). If you’re in Science’s/ Social Sciences or in the Humanities/Arts programs make sure to book your appointment a week in advance because it’s a long drop-in line and wait.
• Plan to go over the courses you’ve taken, courses you should take to graduate on time and need to get your desired degree. I kept a single planner sheet of required courses which I checked off and blank lines with the required number of option courses that I filled in as I went along each year.
•  Also discuss potential higher degree options, such as a Masters or PhD, MD, and the grades required to apply.
• Ask your program advisor what courses are the most difficult to get in to. Some courses are only offered at certain times, and sometimes they’re not offered at all. So make sure you know about those so you can attempt to get into them earlier rather then waiting until your last year.
• Schedule a regular yearly appointment with your program advisor thereafter and continually update your planner sheet with them. 
• The last tip is even more prudent if you’re doing a double degree or degree/minor combination or have plans for med, law or grad school.
• At the end of 3^rd year go and talk to your program advisor about your final year to make sure with your course selections you’ll have all your required courses finished.
• Don’t forget to apply for Graduation (4^th or Final Year)

Additional tips for boosting your future job prospects:

• Volunteer as much time as you can spare throughout your undergrad for two reasons:

1.     Volunteer hours boost ones resume and show much needed experience for applying to upper end and better paying jobs. They show employers you took initiative during your degree.

2.     Volunteering/Internships gives you a taste of the real world and what it’s like to work in specific industries. You might find that you really love something you didn’t expect and want to pursue it as a career or the very opposite that you hate what you wanted to do and want to try something else. It’s easier to adjust courses in your first and second year than it is in your last year.

•  If you’re planning on working in some sort of a professional capacity (physiotherapist, psychologist, engineer, nurse, doctor, social worker, councilor, etc) look into professional associations (for me it was the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology) and what course requirements they have to gain professional membership. So you’re not finding out when you’re applying for jobs that you should have taken an English course or a Sociology course instead of that easy option of Rock and Roll Music History.
• Get to know your favorite professors try and build a relationship with at least 3 or 4 of them so you have reference options for grad, med or law school.v
• In your last year, book an appointment with “career services“ build your resume and learn about prospective jobs and career options.  If grad school is the option go and meet with your prospective grad school advisor.

 Okay enough stalling its Graduation Day

You’ve done all your homework, you’ve saw your advisors so many times they know your favorite cereal, what you take in your coffee and your first name at a glance. You’ve sent your transcripts and letters of reference off for med school or graduate school. You finished your GRE, LSAT or MCAT prep course and taken your test getting the grades required and you’ve at last applied for graduation. What next?

Charge your camera battery, call your grandparents, book a nightclub for your friends and get wasted! In all seriousness what I mean is enjoy it. I definitely recommend attending graduation. You’ve worked your butt off for 4,5,6 sometimes more years why not let your family and friends who suffered through cranky early mornings, crappy family dinners listening to you complain about professors and graphs enjoy watching you cross the stage. Be forewarned the actual ceremony is boooooring and long. Allow yourself 4 hours that morning/afternoon. Take it all in. Don’t be nervous about tripping on stage no one did so in my year… :P It’s a great time enjoy it! Outside of the above there really is nothing more to graduation it self. It’s a celebration.

Tips

•  Take your own pictures; professional ones are expensive, long waits and frankly not that good (I made this mistake).
• For UC students some good places are outside of the Oval. Out in the courtyard by the pond (across from McKimmie) with the rock, or the turkey, etc.
• Do them before you return your gown.
• Talk to your alumni rep about alumni benefits. Stay involved. Your fellow graduates are a community and network that may be useful in your career.

All in all like your degree if you’ve prepared well graduation is an exciting time. It’s the reward after years of work. Feel proud, and accomplished you’re among an elite percentage of people in the world now.