“Chicago is our classroom.” It’s more than a marketing phrase plastered on DePaul’s homepage — it’s a reality for students who have spent the last four years weaving their way through life in the big city. As graduation nears, many DePaul seniors say that their experience going to school in the heart of Chicago has made the leap into postgrad life feel less intimidating.

“Honestly, I don’t think my life’s going to change that much,” said Lauren Stribley, a senior marketing major with a concentration in sports business. “Instead of going to class, I’m just going to work. I feel like going to a city school — we kind of already live postgrad.”

Whether it’s dodging rush-hour foot traffic on Loop sidewalks, schlepping groceries home in the snow or figuring out how to get home on the Red Line during a Cubs game, students say the city pushed them into adult life quickly. Many feel like those experiences and more gave them a level of independence that students on traditional campuses might not experience until after graduation.

“It prepares us better for when all the state school kids are coming to Chicago or going to other big cities,” said Tanner Holt, a senior marketing major with a concentration in sales leadership. “It’s kind of like their first ‘wow’ moment — but we’ve already been living it.”

Still, even with city smarts and real-world experience under their belts, the transition out of college can be nerve-wracking. The pressure to have a plan, or at least look like you do, weighs heavily on seniors — even for those who seem outwardly confident.

Perse Grammer, a senior playwriting major, has no job lined up yet. They used to expect they would by now. However, as they prepare for a professional reading at Steppenwolf Theatre and celebrate winning the Bundschu Playwriting Prize, Grammer is trying to keep things in perspective and appreciates moral support from family.

“Sometimes I’ll just call my parents and be like, ‘I don’t have a job yet,’ and they’re like, ‘Calm down. You’re doing fine,’” Grammer said. “I think I’m kind of realizing it’s not necessarily realistic to have a job lined up immediately after graduation.”

Grammer values the creative momentum the city offers, and they’ve even set a personal challenge — to apply for one new playwriting opportunity every week.

“It’s kind of scary,” Grammer said. “But a lot of the theater school curriculum is about how to network with the general Chicago theater industry. That lets me know I’m not going to be out there and have no one.”

Students in more corporate-facing fields feel that connection just as strongly. Holt, who interned through a DePaul partner company last summer, is set to start a full-time role in Lincoln Park after graduation. He credits DePaul’s industry ties — and his own initiative — for helping him land the job.

“If the student cares enough, tries enough and reaches out enough within the school, they could be successful in whatever they want to do,” Holt said. “DePaul allows students to be as successful as they want to be without forcing them to do things they don’t want to.”

Even with strong résumés and a sense of real-world readiness, many students admit the emotional side of graduation can hit harder than expected.

Some students say they’ve coped by cutting back on social plans, leaning on close friends or just learning to sit with uncertainty. Grammer described it as a “roller coaster,” while Holt credits his fraternity brothers with keeping him grounded.

“I know I have 45, 50 guys I can go to whenever I need to,” Holt said. “Just knowing they’re there — it’s like, okay, I’m going to be fine.”

For many seniors, what comes next is still unclear, but the city has taught them to keep moving, even without all the answers.

Stribley, who is juggling interviews with a major Chicago sports team while continuing to work at a local bar, said watching older friends navigate postgrad life gives her a sense of what’s ahead.

“I almost feel guilty for not being more sad or nervous,” Stribley said. “But we’ve been going to the bars and taking the same trains. The only real change is that we’ll hopefully be getting paid.”

Others, like Grammer, are embracing the idea that stability doesn’t have to come all at once. A steady paycheck might be months away, but the creative community they’ve built in Chicago feels like a foundation.

If anything, students say their advice to underclassmen is simple: Don’t wait to grow up.

“Make a plan early. Reach out to professors. Ask for help before it all starts to loom, Grammer said. “You’ll be surprised what you can make happen.”

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