Graduation is just around the corner! For university students, it will happen in a matter of weeks and for high school students, in about a month. Of course, there are minor details such as finals that have to be taken, but rarely do those keep students from achieving their dreams of graduating. After graduation, students experience a sense of freedom, but they also face the looming question of “What now?” 

For high school seniors, that question may not be as pressing since many will already have decided to attend a university or enter the work field. For students who are finishing their university careers, that question can be a little more daunting. For some, life does not skip a beat and they are able to enter right into a career. For others, it may take some time to land that elusive job. Either way, there are some major adjustments that have to be made.  Here are a few tips that students graduating from college would do well to follow.  

First, seek a community that will support and encourage you. Some students may end up moving back to their hometowns. Others may end up living in a completely new town and may not know anyone at all. Make it a point to get connected to a local church quickly. The church provides common ground that will help someone new connect with others. It will also provide a place to serve and use the gifts God has given. Serving in the local church will create opportunities to bond with others and allow you to impact others’ lives.  

Second, learn to give. Perhaps for the first time in your life you will be working full-time. No longer will you have to scrape by. No longer will you be dependent upon ramen to get you through the week. You will have a salary! As God has blessed you with a degree from your university, He has blessed you with a career. Honor God through giving back to the church. The Bible speaks of a tithe to be given to the church and that is a great foundation. But give generously to your church. Give to help people do missions. Give to help other ministries reach people for Christ.  

Finally, keep growing in your faith. If you have been connected to a local church or a Baptist Collegiate Ministry during your college years, keep building upon that foundation that has been laid. Don’t slip back into old habits, rather, keep running the race laid before you. Keep spending time in the Bible, seek older people to invest in you as you seek to invest in others. Keep growing so that when the next step of a family comes, you will be able to lead your family spiritually.  

Life is a series of chapters that begin and end.  Just because one chapter comes to a close, it doesn’t mean it is the end of the story.   A new chapter is on the horizon. A new chapter that may be filled with unknowns for a short time. But there is a great known, and that is God. Keep pursuing God in the next chapter of your life. Stay connected to church, serving and giving, and keep growing in your relationship with God!