So as of two weeks from now, I will be a college graduate. As a person who generally doesn’t deal well with change, I’ve been mentally preparing myself for this abrupt shift in my life. While (I’m not going to lie) I am absolutely stoked to never have to do homework again, there are many aspects of the college life I am going to miss. There’s a great lifestyle that comes with being a college student: sleeping until noon and still making it my first class at 12:20 is a luxury I will miss terribly as a enter the “real world”. Having all my best friends living within a two mile radius is another awesome aspect of college life that I’m going to miss. With an adult lifestyle on the horizon, I’m beginning to recognize that realistically, I’m expected to be up by eight and to visit my friends on the weekends (this all seems pretty harsh to me at the moment, but I’m coping). Anyway, in pondering my future, I couldn’t help but consider the future of my feminism. Where does it go from here?
I’ve been soaking up college life for the last four (and a half) years. It’s where I’ve been introduced to feminism, and it’s where I’ve decided what kind of feminist I am. As I got to thinking what my life will be life after graduation, it’s hard for me to see where feminism fits in. Think about it, at JMU, we’re surrounded by other young people, each exploring their own educational path; they’re all (for the most part) eager to learn, they want to talk, and they’re generally open to what others have to say. A combination of these factors makes college an awesome place to talk about feminism. Here we can bounce ideas off one another, we can broaden our own feminist perspectives through inspiration from our peers, and, if nothing else, we have friends with whom we join to complain about patriarchy.
Perhaps the biggest perk of being a feminist in college is the opportunity it brings. If you’re interested in a specific feminist topic, chances are there’s a class you can take that will satisfy your curiosity. Also, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved directly with the feminist cause; in college it’s easy to be a student as well as an activist. Not to mention, taking women’s studies classes and being member of women’s organizations is a great way to get in touch with other like minded feminists.
With all this said, it seems I’m a little spoiled, not just because I can sleep till noon or hang out with friends during the week, but because it’s been pretty easy for me to pursue feminism as part of this university. What will my relationship with feminism be like when I’m living in the “real world”? It seems like it could be an effort to keep feminism in my life. After all, unless I’m working for a feminist cause, there will be few feminist outlets to turn to. Now I’m not saying that there’s no room for feminism in the “real world”, but I think it may be more of an effort to keep feminism in my life after graduation. It suddenly becomes an interest I have to pursue, rather than an interest I can easily share with the like minded people around me. With that said, I will always be a feminist. I will always practice feminism on a personal level, and (believe me) when I get the chance, I’ll share it with others. I’m sure there are ways to keep a relationship with feminism growing as a post graduate, but I guess what I’m saying is I’m not sure how, and If I did, it will undoubtedly be more of an effort than it has been. So what do you all think? How can a post grad keep up a fulfilling and advancing relationship with feminism as they grow up?
ShoutOut! James Madison University 
Hi Amygazz, congratulations on graduating!!
I will be graduating in May, and something I’ve actually be thinking about is if I should have my minor, Gender and Women’s Studies, on my CV depending on the jobs or organizations I’ll be applying to. This is because I have interned and know a little about the ‘real world.’ And, it’s not all too friendly to feminism. It is of course more friendly than it has been in the past, as well it depends on the context. But, as a Global Justice major with a variety of interests and skills, I will be looking for places where some encompass maternal and child issues, whereas other places do not. In fact, I am sure with some places I will be looking at, having a Women’s and Gender Studies minor may hinder my chances. Of course, a ‘strong’ feminist would say then don’t apply to those places. But lets be realistic, the job market is not doing well, needless to say. You get what you get. And you better get a gettin’. So, no I need to look at places which both ‘support and do not support’ women’s issues. But, do I leave my minor out of the picture when I apply to those organizations which are not in favor or would rather not deal with ‘women things?’
That is a question I think all of us will have to face when we step out into our patriarchal world. To put or not to put, that is the question. For the job world is unforgiving and a risky place to be in, so we must be strategic when we are young. Then hopefully later on in life, we can be more free to discuss, act on, and incorporate such women’s issues in our occupations.
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Hey Amyguzz,
I graduated from JMU with a women’s studies minor in ’07 and when I read your post, I couldn’t help but empathize. I figured I’d offer what’s worked for me over the last few years.
So from my own experience, finding your feminist fix outside of academia is truthfully more difficult because everything suddenly becomes slightly more difficult. I’m sure you’re already eagerly anticipating this minor detail but rest assured it is possible to do even if you’re not professionally working on a feminist issue.
Depending on what city you move to (as some cities are more progressive than others), you might be able to find some sort of feminist group/book club/entity. However sometimes these groups aren’t explicitly feminist so I’ve had the most luck finding like-minded people in young women’s working groups and volunteering at organizations that focus on a women’s or human rights issues.
I’ve also attended a lot of events and community presentations on women’s issues. Many of these events are put on by NGOs or nonprofits so it helps to subscribe to their newsletters or the community event mailing list. These events are great places to feel part of the discussion again and also meet other people. Don’t hesitate to participate in events at other local colleges. It’s a great way to find local Take Back the Nights and all the other activist events you participated in in college. I know that suggestion is odd, but you already know that most colleges are a sure thing for feminist activism so why not.
I’d also recommend keeping up a blog as you are naturally already aware of how that can connect you to an entirely virtual community of feminists.
Keep in touch with your other women’s and gender studies minors from JMU. I’m sure this is a given but it’s super helpful to have them available if you need someone to share your excitement when, for example, you find Susan Faludi’s Backlash at the Good Will for $3 (true story).
When feminism is your passion, you’ll naturally put in the effort to find it. You already live it in your thoughts, actions and words and all that will transition along with you as you move out of academia into a profession. One of the great things about being a feminist, I’ve noticed, is that its difficult to lose this form of enlightenment once you’ve discovered it.
And finally, some of those women’s studies text books make fabulous coffee table books, for the record. Creates great conversations during parties and keeps the theory fresh.
Congrats on graduating, best of luck in the future, and thanks for sharing your thoughts on this blog. I wish we would have had something like this when I was at JMU.
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I think even though there may not be a lot of outlets for feminism after you’ve graduated, you can still be active in the movement or just maintain your ideologies past JMU. I think as far as your views are concerned, you’re the only one that ultimately decides what you’ll end up believing/how you vote/etc. So, I’m not sure you have anything (else) to worry about there. As far as outlets are concerned, I think there are always opportunities like the blog, etc. that don’t really require physical presence at a location to be a participant. You can also go to marches, etc. if you’re willing to travel. If not, I’m sure there will be like-minded people who you can get to know and discuss fem stuff with. I just think you have to be creative but I think the most important thing to remember is that you take your experiences from JMU with you and you don’t ever have to give those up.
@Ihavemythings: I COMPLETELY agree with you. I even wonder about putting it on my resume/job applications now when they ask your major/minor. Ultimately, I put it on there anyways because I think if I am not going to get a job because of it, then I don’t want to work there anyway.
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