Carmel's Nicole Oliver Looks To Future Following College Graduation

CARMEL, N.Y. – Carmel's Nicole Oliver graduated in May from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in The Bronx with mixed emotions about leaving the place she called home for four years and looking toward her future.

Nicole Oliver, of Carmel, graduated from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in May.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Nicole Briggs

07/15/2016 12:30 p.m.

"It was a really nice ceremony. The school is small so it was short and sweet. It was very bittersweet," Oliver said. "I am so excited to graduate with all my hard work paying off but at the same time I was going to miss living with my friends and the school where I felt like I had grown and learned so much. There was definitely a lot of tears, both happy and sad."

Oliver received her degree in business administration and concentrated on sports management. Choosing a major can be difficult, but for Oliver, business administration meant she would have more options in her career.

"I chose this major because I felt like it would give me the best chance at getting a job after school," she said. "The degree could allow me to go in many different directions with my career. I have always had a passion for sports and can really see myself working in sports in the future."

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, there are positive statistics for 2016 college graduates: two-thirds of employers plan to hire from this year's college grads and 37 percent of employers plan to offer higher pay than 2015. However, despite a growing positive outlook, the "real world" still can cause some anxiety.

"I feel like for recent grads, the 'real world' is scary," Oliver said. "No matter how prepared you think you are, there is no way of knowing what it's going to be like until you are actually in it."

While life after college can be exciting for some and scary for others, Oliver offers some advice for students entering their senior year of high school this fall and who are making plans for their future.

"Enjoy the time in your hometown while all of your friends are still living here," she said. "Make the most of every minute and create a lot of memories. When making your choice of where to attend college, make sure its somewhere where you feel at home. It's your choice and don't let anyone try to change your mind. Also, don't take life too seriously; remember to have fun every once in a while."

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