| Today there are more students enrolled in Canadian Universities than ever before in history. Research focusing on the transition out of university is currently very limited; this study begins to tell the story of students' experience of transition from university into the real world. This study used a phenomenological approach to explore the transition experiences of three men and three women in their year post-graduation. Narratives and individual interviews were used to capture participant experience and identify common themes. Results highlighted the loss of participants' student role as a significant feature of the transition experience, touching various aspects of their experiences post-graduation. Several themes emerged, including: mixed emotions, first fall out, planfulness, moving on, growing up, gaining meaningful employment, reality check, financial concerns, changing social network, and the need for validation. One of the most pronounced themes was participants' negative reflections on their degree and its value in the real world. Additional research and resources are needed to better understand the various aspects of this life stage. This study has implications for university counselling centres and student services personnel, as well as the wider university community. |
