To describe my college experience, I would say innovative, challenging and adapting.

A challenge, reintegration.

I would describe it as stagnant behind and anxiety-inducing.

I'm trying to be optimistic but I would say like the job market and the overall

state of our country has me really hesitant as far as like my future in plans.

I feel really bleak when I think about the future everything is basically on fire right now.

I feel good about my future, yeah. Well the future is unknown because I don't have a full time job here.

However, I mean the unknown is very exciting so I don't feel burdened by as well. I'm trying to embrace the unknown.

Yeah man, we really don't have a choice but to feel hopeful about the future, man.

I mean, I think we have to be hopeful, because without hope, there's nothing.

So I am hopeful for the future. It's notes from America. I'm Kai Wright. Welcome to the show.

It's Notes from America. I'm Kai Wright.

Welcome to the show. The college graduating class of

2024 has been through it y'all. Their final year of high school was

interrupted by a global pandemic.

The following summer was dominated by global protests over anti-black violence.

For those who voted, their first experience with democracy culminated in an insurrection.

I need not recount the many extreme events that have unfolded in the four years since then,

but certainly now, on dozens of campuses campuses their commencement is inseparable from the global debate over the mass death that has followed Israel's invasion of Gaza.

They have had a unique journey.

And this class of graduates is also part of a broader generation

that many people have looked at and said,

...