Life After Mac: Real Stories of Alumni Finding Their Way—Hussein

It’s honestly hard to believe that it’s been four years since I graduated. Time really does fly. Graduating during the pandemic was surreal — I left university with a degree in hand but no clear direction for the future. The sudden end to campus life and moving back in with my parents was a challenging shift, filled with worries about what was to come. I also dealt with some health issues, which added to the stress.

Yet, here I am, proof that everything usually works out, even though there’s still much work to do. My post-grad life kicked off right back at McMaster, where I worked two roles, one in Research Finance and another in Competency-Based Medical Education. Working at McMaster was awesome, with a great culture and work-life balance. However, I was ready for my next step, where I ended up working in a systems role for an E-Learning healthcare provider. Now, I find myself working for a company that specializes in providing SaaS-based software for higher education institutions.

Upon graduating, I would have never thought I would be in this position today. As you get older, you start realizing how strange life is; you can try to map it all out, but it rarely sticks to the plan. If you’re about to graduate, I would say to go for opportunities that don’t immediately stick out to you. You never know which one will be a game-changer. Also, try to step out of your comfort zone. Uncomfortable situations will allow you to grow and get better. Finally, keep that hunger for knowledge alive. When you graduate and start working, it becomes immensely challenging to try to sit down from time to time and learn. I’ve tried my best to keep learning outside of work, whether it’s through YouTube or LinkedIn Learning, and I personally believe it’s tremendously helped my young career so far.

Try to travel as much as you can. After graduating, I travelled to Peru, Panama, and Colombia. Standing at the top of Machu Picchu was nothing short of magical. Each trip has completely changed me and brought a whole new perspective to my life.

Finally, as life gets busier, make time for things that truly make you happy. Stay connected with friends and family; the people you surround yourself with are honestly the only things that truly matter at the end of the day. Also, make sure to stretch! A saying that I’ve been trying to incorporate into my life lately is, “Acknowledge what you have, not what you don’t have. Appreciate what you have and allow for what’s to come next.”

— Hussein Karimjee, Bachelor of Commerce ‘20

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This article originally appeared on Medium.