Graduating in only three and one-half years, Joseph Steven Nainoaonahoku Wilmes, a journalism major and multimedia minor University of Oregon graduate from Beaverton, Ore., reflects back on his time as a student at the UO after having now spent one year in the post-graduation “real world.”
Working at Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District he revealed, “I know that working at a rec center as a sports instructor and after school program leader isn’t what I wanted to do after college, but it isn’t a terrible job. It doesn’t pay the seven-figure salary that I was going for, but it’s my fault in the end. I didn’t produce a résumé during my free time at the UO.”
Starting out, he had no set ideas on what he wanted to do with his four years at the UO.
“I never really knew what I wanted to do in life as a high school senior,” he said. “As a college graduate, I’m still somewhat confused.”
He experienced all the common panics each college student goes through at some point or another. From the fear of that one professor who fails students based on a single typo to the classic feeling of under-involvement, he admits that these issues are rooted within one’s own personal attitude and actions.
“One of my regrets would be not joining as many clubs,” he said. “I should have been an activist or started up a ping pong club or something. My super boring résumé with a B-minus GPA average would have been much more attractive with a diverse participation in UO clubs.”
While he worked for UO Housing Services as a sandwich artist and spent a large portion of his time focused on academics in order to graduate quickly, he shared the sentiment of feeling overwhelmed amongst the countless amount of clubs and groups UO has to offer. But regardless, he acknowledges his lack of participation put a damper on his overall experience. This regret played a role both in and outside the classroom.
“I just wanted to go to class, take the exam and go home,” he said. “I didn’t try to communicate much with my professors. I saw my professors as if they were there to teach the course, and I was there to fill in the bubbles of my Scantron.”
At a university with more than 16,000 undergraduate students, it’s very difficult to avoid feeling out-shined and outdone. But he advised: “Don’t be lazy. You’re paying so much money to go to school — you would be silly to not be the best you can be. Work hard and play hard.”
So while Wilmes has looked back on his college experience with a few regrets, for now he plans to keep enjoying his time as a fresh grad.
“I want to be 22 for a bit longer,” he said, “Sooner or later, someone will give me a ‘big boy’ job. I know it will come eventually, so I’m not rushing right now.”