This three-part series spotlights three Syracuse University students who graduated early from college — part 3 of 3

The two met each other their freshman year in an 8 a.m. French 101 class.

Since then, Daniel Taroy and Julie Kosin have gone through seven semesters together — including one abroad in London. Now, the two are graduating a semester early and headed to New York City to follow their dreams.

Taroy, a magazine journalism major, made the decision to graduate early last fall when he realized he could after getting a degree check while studying abroad. He said the biggest factor behind his decision was that he could save money by avoiding an eighth semester at Syracuse.

Since making the decision, Taroy has been on the job hunt, sending out résumés to multiple publications and meeting with magazines such as Fast Company and L Magazine. On campus he gained experience through writing for Jerk Magazine and The Daily Orange, and he’ll continue the job search after he moves to New York City on Jan. 6.

While his future remains undecided, Taroy said graduating early will give him an advantage in the job market compared to those graduating in May.

“Because less people are graduating, there’s just less competition,” Taroy said. “A lot of companies get their new budgets at the beginning of the year, so they have more money to hire people.”

Taroy will make the move to the city with Kosin, his best friend, who has a job waiting for her at Harper’s Bazaar, a fashion magazine, when she arrives. Kosin, also a magazine major, has interned in New York City every summer she’s been in college, and said she is used to the major metropolitan environment.

Taroy, however, who is from Orange County, CA, has to make a few adjustments as he moves permanently to the east coast. He said the cross-country move has been all too sudden for him and his parents, especially with the early graduation.

“It’s stressful having to go from being a college student to thinking about paying rent and having a job, and losing that freedom as a student,” he said. “That’s nerve-wracking.”

With a sense that most magazine jobs are in New York City, though, Taroy is going through with the move. Alongside him for support will be his best friend.

Kosin said she isn’t afraid of the shift from college to post-graduation life in January, saying it was always going to happen, graduating early simply meant different timing.

“You’re cutting your college career short, but I don’t really feel like I’m missing out,” she said.

Taroy said one of the disadvantages of graduating in December meant that he would be leaving his friends earlier than anticipated. Even though this past semester has been his favorite, he added that leaving may not be too difficult. Conincidentially, his closest friends all plan on moving to New York City once they graduate in spring 2014.

And despite more than 200 miles separating him from SU, he still plans on returning for campus highlights in the spring, such as Mayfest and the graduation ceremony.

Making Taroy more comfortable with his decisions are the other early-graduate friends he’s made along the way. Megan French, another magazine journalism major, said she met Taroy this semester, and the two bonded after realizing they both were graduating a semester early. She said they always talked about how excited they were to put school behind them in pursuit of a “real job.”

“We were both really excited over the fact that we were done, and everyone else still had another semester,” she said.

Although it takes a lot of planning, Kosin said, and adherence to a stricter schedule than most students, getting ahead in their lives and careers has been reason enough for both him and Taroy to recommend graduating early to people. Taroy, who has been focused on graduation since coming to SU, said it’s an opportunity for people to start their lives.

“I came in just really wanting to get out, which is not how I feel anymore, but it’s what I’m doing,” Taroy said. “I’ve always been focused on the bigger picture.”

In the end, just as they had started their first day of college, Taroy and Kosin finished their last days of college together.

Published on December 23, 2013 at 1:21 pm

Contact Alfred: alng@syr.edu

@alfredwkng