Remixin’ My Life

By Chance Cobb

Life after college can be one of the hardest transitions for students graduating. Most students have this idea in their mind that after college their life will automatically fall in place with an amazing job using their degree. But the reality begins to set in and most people work in fields that are not related to their major. For some people, this can lead to depression and anxiety. Because they have worked so hard in school in a particular field, they begin to feel like they failed in life. But for others, it could be a blessing in disguise. Noah Ayele was faced with the transition of “life after college” and he believes his journey is a blessing in disguise. 

Noah Ayele is a 28-year-old graduate from Cal State University Northridge. In 2018, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies. “When I first started college, I honestly was unsure of what I wanted to study. I tried to focus more on my general education classes first. Kinesiology, English, and Communication Studies were majors that interested me because I felt like the skills I had would help me excel in these fields. I finally decided that Communication Studies was the best major for me. I picked this major because I realized it could be useful in different fields,” Ayele said. 

Since his freshman year in college, he had planned on working in the communication field and starting his career with a major company as a brand strategist. “Yes, I had a strong belief that after I graduated college I would work in the communication field as a brand strategist for a major company like Apple. Becoming a brand strategist for a major company was my dream job while pursuing my college degree. But as my godbrother Meko Yohannes offered me an internship with 10 Summers Record Label as an assistant for DJ Mustard, my senior year in college my life changed for the better,” Ayele said. 

10 Summers Record Label is a huge label based in Los Angeles. This label was started by multi-millionaire Dijon McFarlane, professionally known as Mustard. “This internship led to me becoming Mustard's full-time executive assistant. I now work for 10 Summers Record Label full time and I have experienced so much from this job. I have had the pleasure of working with artists like Drake, Quavo, Future, and Roddy Rich to name a few important artists. In the next five years, I see myself moving up from an executive assistant to a CEO. Honestly, I don’t know how that will happen right now. But I have a vision of me elevating from my current position as I continue to grow and learn important skills in the music industry,” Ayele said. 

Ayele has experienced many things that he never expected after walking across that stage. As we continued to talk about his life after college I asked him, how did he feel after graduating college and did he regret majoring in Communications Studies? Ayele stated, “After I graduated college, I was very excited because I honestly hate school. The only reason I wanted to finish school was to make my parents happy. I was fortunate to have this job lined up after graduation which removed the fear of finding a job. I definitely don’t regret majoring in Communication Studies. Because I can use some of my communication skills in the music industry when dealing with artists and different people around me. Communication Studies honestly has helped me become a better executive assistant in my opinion.” 

College was the biggest step for Ayele to become the executive assistant he is today. Life after college is filled with unexpected opportunities and challenges that we can not see today. But as you continue to grow as a person, life after college is a great opportunity to find yourself. Ayele expressed, “The best advice I would tell a senior student preparing to graduate college is to follow your heart. It doesn’t matter what you studied in school honestly. If you are interested in something else that isn’t related to your major, you should still try it. You may be nervous and may have some fear of what’s next. But you have to believe in yourself no matter the circumstances! I think college prepared me for the real world because it pushed me out of my comfort zone and to succeed in life I believe you need to be uncomfortable to grow as a person.” 

Ayele should be an inspiration to every college student showing that life after college can be a blessing in disguise. Growing and fulfilling your purpose is what life after college is about. Everything happens for a reason, so embrace your journey and let go of the fear of life after college.