Post-Graduation is like Shepherd's Pie

Of course I like Thanksgiving. Who wouldn't like slow-roasted turkey infusing the house with sage-spiced memories; or pumpkin pie bars, or a legendary green bean casserole; or gossiping with the latest in-laws, out-laws and new family additions; or, of course, NFL football -- well, maybe not NFL football this time around.

Of course I like Thanksgiving. It's a holiday that seems uniquely shaped around the American psyche.

What I like almost as much as Thanksgiving are the three days following Turkey Day: additional family gatherings (congrats to Hannah and Brandon), college football rivalries (cheers to Auburn, Penn State, and nice try, Michigan), and the start of the Christmas season (on Black Friday, mind you, not Thursday). But what I like most is our family's leftover culinary tradition, Shepherd's Pie, which can only be made after Thanksgiving because it is built on layers of stuffing filled with turkey meat and topped by carrots, gravy, and mashed potatoes. All Thanksgiving leftovers.

So, why the change of blog theme from mostly education to holiday recipes? Am I now underwritten by the Food Channel? I wish, but no. It occurred to me, as I watched my wife spoon in the stuffing crust for this weekend's Shepherd's Pie that things built off a main event are sometimes as tasty as the main event itself. Let me explain.

In a little more than a month, on Dec. 20th, NWTC students will graduate in mid-year ceremonies at the Resch Center in Green Bay. This is a single central celebration that hundreds have been working toward. You might call it our school's Academic Thanksgiving Day.

Yet, what happens the day after the graduation gown is folded up and put away? Just as we need to guard against post-holiday blues, a newly-hatched alumni needs to guard against a post-graduation let down. Somehow the student needs to collect all the blessings and benefits he or she has accumulated from their work and mix these academic ingredients layer by layer to create a new wonderful concoction.

For example: if you are a student you shouldn't think of graduation as an end point, but as a beginning. You should stay in contact with the school, the instructors and staff. We would love to be able to help you as you move forward. Next, don't just up and sell texts, workbooks or manuals: there might be ideas, activities, inspiration that will be handy in the future -- who can say? That will be worth more than the 50% or less cash back. And, stay in touch with classmates, with employer mentors, and with professional organizations. Exchange contact information before, during, and after the Resch ceremony -- this will be the beginning of your professional network and probably one of the most important layers of your future academic feast.

So, by all means celebrate the holidays and the December graduation. Make time for family, for parties, and even for more football (there's always time for football). But, at the same time, don't forget to package, label, store, repurpose all the "leftovers" from your academic career. These may be as important, as nutritious, and as tasty as the main event.