After College: Navigating Transitions, Relationships, and Faith

by Erica Young Reitz

Publisher:

IVP

, 2025

Practical Tools for a Faithful, Flourishing Post-College Life

"The first year out was one of the hardest years of my life." —Curt

"It's much rougher than I thought. I thought things would just play out, and they didn't. I don't have friends, I don't have a job, and I hang out with my parents every night." —Kate

The years after college can be some of the most uncertain, unstable times of life. Recent graduates grieve the loss of community, question their place in the world, and struggle to find meaningful work. It can be shocking to discover that college did not fully prepare you for the challenges you now face.

But you are not alone. Erica Young Reitz specializes in helping college seniors and recent graduates navigate the transition to postcollege life. Drawing on best practices and research on senior preparedness, she offers practical tools for a life of faithfulness and flourishing during a critical, transitional time. Revised to address the realities facing Gen Z in the 2020s, this practical guide addresses the top issues graduates face:

• Making decisions,
• Finding community,
• Managing money,
• Discerning your calling,
• And much more!

Discover how you can thrive beyond your undergraduate years. If you feel lost in transition, here are resources to help you flourish as a Christ-follower in a complex world.

Contents

Author's Note
Why This Book?

Part I. Real Faith: Faithful to Christ
1. "Go to an Unknown Land"
2. In Transition
3. Stronger than You Think
4. From Fear and Indecision to Freedom

Part II. Real Life: Faithful to Community
5. Beyond the Quad
6. No Perfect Church
7. The Discipleship of Diversity
8. Family Matters
9. Twentysomething Relationships

Part III. Real World: Faithful to Our Calling
10. On Purpose
11. A Faith That Works
12. Financial Faithfulness

Conclusion: "The Land Is Good"
Acknowledgments
Notes

Praise for After College

"Working with students means encountering young people desperate for help: what to do? How to live? What is good? In this accessible book, Erica Young Reitz proves to be a wise guide for those longing for wisdom in their early lives. She offers practical guidance, from friendships to finances. Reitz offers a vision of life worth living and worth loving. 'It's gonna be okay.' God is with you. He loves you."

"The first edition of Erica Reitz's After College quickly became a deeply trusted guide for college graduates. And now this new, freshly updated edition will prove to be even more valuable. After 35 years as a college professor, one thing has become clear to me: the first few years after college were an inflection point for most new graduates. Students who saw remarkable success in college were never guaranteed that same success after college. Which is why this book can be a deeply-needed mentor. It is brim full of wisdom that I would like to see in the hands of every college senior."

"'After college' is my daughter's world right now, and Erica is answering her questions with the wisdom of a pastor, the skills of a counselor, and the gentleness of a friend. As someone whose full-time audience is 18-24-year-olds, I love that this revised edition offers spot-on content to every recent grad I know. I didn't think the first edition could get any better. It did!"

"Erica Reitz offers practical wisdom for what the transition out of college should look like. What advice would you give graduates preparing for the weird change that happens after college? Here are time-tested answers to how college grads can and should find community, friends, a church, and even new dating partners. Parents are an important part of this process and part of Reitz's holistic vision for life after college."

Product Details

• Title: After College: Navigating Transitions, Relationships, and Faith
• Author: Erica Young Reitz
• Publisher: IVP
• Print Publication Date: 2025
• Logos Release Date: 2024
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Ebook
• ISBNs: 9781514011195, 9781514011188, 1514011182, 1514011190
• Resource ID: LLS:9781514011195
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-12-05T06:43:19Z

About Erica Young Reitz

Erica Young Reitz directs Senior EXIT, a one-year experience that prepares graduating college seniors for the transition into the next phase of life. She works for the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), reaching out to students at Penn State University. Erica has an MA in higher education from Geneva College, with a graduate research focus on the senior year transition. She and her husband Craig live in State College, Pennsylvania, with their two children.