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There is a great deal of discussion today in college ministry about the lack of direction college-age people have, even after graduating with a college degree. I’ve said for almost 10 years now that high school graduates in no way view their graduation as a right of passage into adulthood. Quite the opposite in fact. Instead I’ve said that graduating high school is simply the beginning of an intentional and conscious thought process toward what they will “do with their life” from a vocational perspective. And, we know today, even after graduating college, many still don’t know the answer to that question.
Some might think this is a recent development. I however would suggest that our understanding is more behind the times than we’d like to admit. Sure, more people are now in college than ever before, making this more noticeable in society. In 1950 less than 10% of 18-24 year olds attended degree granting institutions (including high school 18 yr olds). In 2004 this number was 65%, not including 18 year old high school students.
Nevertheless the mindset of college grads is often the same as it was 40 years ago. The movie, “The Graduate” hit the cinema’s in 1967 and articulates insights into the life of a college grad. Granted, in 1967 a college degree was more likely to catapult you into a career much more so than it is today. But the lack of direction after graduating may not have been as foreign as we might think in those days either.
The Graduate articulates the lack of direction that so often happens after college and then gives some insights into the emotional pursuits that occur during this time – often because of that lack of direction and focus. In the drama of a love connection, The Graduate taps into the sense of longing for something deeper in life. In another blog I may articulate how we in college ministry can help keep people focused and more importantly what we need to guide focus toward. For now though, watch this trailer…
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