After a college career full of early classes, coffee binging and living through a pandemic, the University of Oregon class of 2022 is finally graduating. This class is ready to move onto greater things, impress the world with their ambitions and, according to the New York Times Magazine, find jobs that fulfill dreams without causing burnout.
Many students are looking forward to a year of employment or internships while others plan to take the next few months off to catch up with friends and sleep. These four seniors explain why it’s beneficial to listen to one’s intuition and not shy away from unknown outcomes.
Connor Canter, graduating advertising student
Connor Canter said he realized he wanted to be an advertising major after he took J201, Media and Society, his sophomore year. Canter was originally undeclared and wanted to experiment with the advertising classes because it fit with his interests in working in media. He realized he enjoyed the “art of persuasive communication” and liked to express himself through that style of storytelling.
“I wanted to be dead set on something, but I couldn’t figure out what I wanted that to be,” Canter said. “I just kind of kept searching for the right thing. And then I loved J201. That’s kind of what I landed on.”
During the pandemic, Canter said he missed the UO’s student spirit on campus. Canter has no big regrets but wished he had done more research on the classes he enrolled in. He sometimes had doubts that he was not “choosing the right courses,” he said.
Canter is ready to move on from college and find a career somewhere on the West Coast. He has a twin brother who also goes to UO and will start a master’s degree in the fall. He hopes to find a position nearby if the opportunity comes up and to work this summer at an advertising agency or a sales and marketing firm.
“I don’t have anything set in stone yet,” Canter said. “I’ve been looking for something in sales or marketing, or possibly project management at an advertising agency. I’d love to work at Wieden+Kennedy, or I would like to move back down to the Bay Area like at Venables Bell.”
Michaela Corbett, graduating business student and legal studies minor
As a freshman, Michaela Corbett struggled to wake up early and had a difficult time managing her stress.
Now, she wishes she told herself sooner to make “learning fun.” Corbett realized how important moments outside of the classroom were — she wishes she did not take herself as seriously when she started college.
“I feel like I’ve learned a lot about treasuring your time, both as a student and also as a human being because you have needs outside of being just a student,” Corbett said. “I think it’s important to make memories outside of the classroom. You just have to figure out what’s best for you and like the way that learning is the best for you.”
Corbett is unsure of her plans for the summer but is hoping to move to a new state such as Washington, Texas or Massachusetts. She wants to decide her next steps as time progresses and does not want to burden herself with figuring out her life goals.
“I honestly want to enjoy my last term here and not be too stressed about the future of my career and so I’m just taking it one step at a time,” Corbett said. “I’m not trying to let it consume me. I’m trying to be proactive at the same time, you know, so it’s all in moderation.”
Grant Urban, graduating business student
Grant Urban decided on his major early on as a freshman because he wanted a career that was “flexible and that can go in different directions.” He said his biggest fear as a student was letting his parents down. He wishes he was able to take more risks early on and realize it was normal to fail.
“I think the biggest risk you can take is not taking any risks,” Urban said. “Find out what you like to do, not what your parents want you to do.”
Having been a student for so many years, Urban believes focusing on his professional relationships in his early career will allow the doors in many industries to open up. It is all about being happy and confident, Urban said. He is hopeful to get a job this summer in a business-related field but has not decided what industry he wants to land in.
“I feel like I am a veteran here,” Urban said. “I’ve seen enough stuff where I’m a lot more confident with everyday life.”
Kassandra Morando, graduating data science student and computer science minor
Kassandra Morando came to the UO believing she wanted to be a computer science major. She grew up in the Silicon Valley region of California and was surrounded by tech people all her life. In her sophomore year, she realized she disliked the major and wanted to become a data scientist where she would “analyze codes but not write it.”
Morando said she would have not survived college without a close-knit group of friends. After moving here, she struggled to leave her best friends back home and live in a new environment. Morando credits putting herself out there to meet new people as the way she found a solid group.
“I would say college is what you make it,” Morando said. “I definitely struggled. Moving from California was very difficult. My solid friends here helped me get out of the hole.”
Canter, Corbett, Urban and Morando each experienced challenges and surprises on the way to earning their degrees. Like these four seniors, many students struggle with finding a major that feels right, making friends or handling their family’s expectations. But although things didn’t always go as planned, these students, like many in the class of 2022, adapted and learned from their struggles.
