As finals concluded last semester, emotions were riling up for Loyola’s senior class of 2023. This winter break brought about a moment of profound reflection for those graduating in the fresh air of spring. The question arises: where do we go from here? Seniors have replied to this prompt with every emotion on the spectrum. Some are frightened about their next steps, while others readily await a post-Loyola world. The future seems uncertain, but it is certainly coming soon.

For those who already have their first post-graduate positions secured, there is a sense of accomplishment that comes from putting one’s name on a contract. It is as though the entirety of their schooling and extracurricular efforts have come to fruition.

Matthew Spear ’23, who has recently accepted an engineering position, said, “It’s an odd feeling, and not something I had experienced before. However, taking a job is definitely exciting and validates the effort you’ve put into your education.”

December 15 was a disquieting date for many in the senior class, as it was the standard deadline for many graduate school programs in the United States. Students have found that the process for applying to master’s and doctoral programs is categorically anxiety-inducing. Finding the right program, writing personal statements, and asking professors for letters of recommendation is a grueling affair.

As difficult as it may be to apply to graduate school, waiting for responses from those universities may be even more harrowing.

An applicant to multiple English Ph.D. programs, Grace Murry ’23 said, “I feel like I’m in purgatory right now waiting for my results. There’s nothing else I can do at this point and my whole future hangs in the balance.”

Notably, many students in the class of 2023 are electing to continue their education abroad. Seniors are applying to graduate programs in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Hungary, and more. While some are looking to build upon their experiences from studying abroad, others eye their first educational experiences overseas.

An additional anxiety that comes from applying abroad is the reality of leaving one’s established support systems—perhaps for the first time in their life. Olivia Malley ’23 is applying to pursue a degree in international politics at multiple European universities. Although she feels prepared, Olivia anxiously awaits her next steps.

Malley said, “I feel like I’m excited when I talk about going to grad school but the scariness of actually getting in and going to school somewhere so far away, for such a long time, is going to hit me really soon.”

As the spring semester begins to kick into gear, we wish the senior class luck as they continue to finalize their post-grad plans. While the road may not always be easy, the class of 2023 will be Loyola-ready wherever their future may lead. 

Featured Image courtesy of Jeremy Ahearn.