--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I graduated from college, I was told…" description: "\"When I graduated from college, I was told I could do great things and be great, but I didn't know what that meant and what it would feel like and the w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/lauren-gibbs-18854_college_when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told_379932.jpg" --- # When I graduated from college, I was told I could do great… ![“When I graduated from college, I was told I could do great things and be great, but I didn't know what that meant and what it would feel like and the work that it would take.” quote by Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/lauren-gibbs-18854_college_when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told_379932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/lauren-gibbs-18854_college_when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told_379932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/lauren-gibbs-18854_college_when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told_379932.jpg) > “When I graduated from college, I was told I could do great things and be great, but I didn't know what that meant and what it would feel like and the work that it would take.” [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Graduates often receive vague encouragement without clear guidance on effort and expectations. **In simple terms:** Advice was vague and unclear. Key Takeaway Seek specific goals and define the work needed. Themes career expectations guidance Mood uncertain motivated Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - job search - career planning - personal development - education - mentorship Key Concepts motivation clarity self‑direction Questions to Reflect On - What specific actions will you take to define your path? - How can you translate vague encouragement into measurable goals? A Different Perspective Advice without concrete steps can lead to confusion and inaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I graduated from college and went straight into a job with MTV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartz/i-graduated-from-college-and-went-straight-into-a-job-with-mtv/) [Julia Hartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartz/) > [One thing my fans might not know about me is that when I graduated from college I went to work for a plumbing company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-rae/one-thing-my-fans-might-not-know-about-me-is-that-when-i-graduated/) [Summer Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-rae/) > [When I graduated from college, I thought that I would probably never be an actor because it seemed like everyone was big by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-thought-that-i-would-probably-never/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [“A few years ago, I graduated college, diploma in one hand, margarita in the other, completely oblivious to the shit storm that was coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alida-nugent/a-few-years-ago-i-graduated-college-diploma-in-one-hand-margarita-in/) [Alida Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alida-nugent/) > [When we graduated from college and law school, we had a mountain of debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/when-we-graduated-from-college-and-law-school-we-had-a-mountain-of/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [I ended up going to college for visual arts but moved up to New York after I graduated from college in 2006 and started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-jacobson/i-ended-up-going-to-college-for-visual-arts-but-moved-up-to-new-york/) [Abbi Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-jacobson/) > [I don't have a college degree, and my father didn't have a college degree, so when my son, Zachary, graduated from college, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-don-t-have-a-college-degree-and-my-father-didn-t-have-a-college/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I remember those days right after I graduated from college. All I had to do was wake up in the morning and think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/i-remember-those-days-right-after-i-graduated-from-college-all-i-had/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [From the time I was 16, I wanted to live in Paris. When I graduated college and didn't have a job, I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-chiquet/from-the-time-i-was-16-i-wanted-to-live-in-paris-when-i-graduated/) [Maureen Chiquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-chiquet/) > [I graduated from college with a 3.92 GPA with a degree in computer programming and a BFA in fine arts and animation. My first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jwoww/i-graduated-from-college-with-a-3-92-gpa-with-a-degree-in-computer/) JWoww > [“Look at yourself on the day that you graduated from college, then look at yourself today. I did that recently and it was like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/look-at-yourself-on-the-day-that-you-graduated-from-college-then-look/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I graduated college valedictorian, got an M.A. from Columbia University in Spanish literature at the age of twenty-two, and still couldn't answer the question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedediah-bila/i-graduated-college-valedictorian-got-an-m-a-from-columbia-university/) [Jedediah Bila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedediah-bila/) > [When I graduated college I had a series of just humiliating jobs that I couldn't believe I was at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/when-i-graduated-college-i-had-a-series-of-just-humiliating-jobs-that/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [When I graduated from college I thought I was over with show business and was pursuing other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-chlumsky/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-thought-i-was-over-with-show-business/) [Anna Chlumsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-chlumsky/) > [When I graduated from college I didn't want to play in the AFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-garcia/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-didn-t-want-to-play-in-the-afl/) [Jeff Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-garcia/) ## More by Lauren Gibbs > [I can't believe where life has taken me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-can-t-believe-where-life-has-taken-me/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I'm a volleyball player, so I like Lycra and Spandex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-m-a-volleyball-player-so-i-like-lycra-and-spandex/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [One of the most common misconceptions about Olympic sports is that they only happen at the Olympics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/one-of-the-most-common-misconceptions-about-olympic-sports-is-that/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I am used to being places where I don't speak the language. What I am not used to is being in a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-am-used-to-being-places-where-i-don-t-speak-the-language-what-i-am/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [When you start your bobsled career at 30, a time when most are settling down into their 'real careers' and many are getting married,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/when-you-start-your-bobsled-career-at-30-a-time-when-most-are/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [Bobsled is the first time I decided, win, lose, or draw, I was all-in for all four years. I figured if I was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/bobsled-is-the-first-time-i-decided-win-lose-or-draw-i-was-all-in-for/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I've always been a risk taker. When I told my mum I was quitting my job to be a bobsledder, she wasn't surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-ve-always-been-a-risk-taker-when-i-told-my-mum-i-was-quitting-my/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [If I look in the mirror, my body is absolutely perfect. I think not enough women feel that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/if-i-look-in-the-mirror-my-body-is-absolutely-perfect-i-think-not/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [It is funny, the things you miss about a more conventional lifestyle. I miss seemingly mundane tasks, like cleaning the kitchen, moving my furniture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/it-is-funny-the-things-you-miss-about-a-more-conventional-lifestyle-i/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I think the biggest thing to being an elite-level bobsledder is grit. You have to really want it. It's a very blue-collar sport. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-think-the-biggest-thing-to-being-an-elite-level-bobsledder-is-grit/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I travel quite a bit for both bobsled and leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-travel-quite-a-bit-for-both-bobsled-and-leisure/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [More and more, I am realizing that life is too short to do crap that doesn't make you happy, and we only get one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/more-and-more-i-am-realizing-that-life-is-too-short-to-do-crap-that/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I grew up thinking that corporate America was my destination. Then I got there, and I was making the money I wanted to make,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-grew-up-thinking-that-corporate-america-was-my-destination-then-i/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I love all food. All of it. I wish I could be a professional eater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-love-all-food-all-of-it-i-wish-i-could-be-a-professional-eater/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) > [I actually found CrossFit on a run from my house in Orange County. I moved around with it for a while, which is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/i-actually-found-crossfit-on-a-run-from-my-house-in-orange-county-i/) [Lauren Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) [Explore all 34 Lauren Gibbs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I graduated from college, I was told I could do great things and be great, but I didn't know what that meant and what it would feel like and the work that it would take.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Gibbs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told-i-could-do-great-things-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "College" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told-i-could-do-great-things-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/lauren-gibbs-18854_college_when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told_379932.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/lauren-gibbs-18854_college_when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told_379932.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/lauren-gibbs-18854_college_when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told_379932.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I graduated from college, I was told I could do great things and be great, but I didn't know what that…” — Lauren Gibbs", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lauren Gibbs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-gibbs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I graduated from college, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told-i-could-do-great-things-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-gibbs/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-was-told-i-could-do-great-things-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```