What to do Now? The Transition from College into the “Real World”
Those final weeks before graduation can be an awkward time. There’s both the thrill of graduating, and finally being done with exams, quizzes, and the nonstop homework that seems to sometimes consume every free moment you have. But there’s also a sense of fear, anxiety, and questions. Questions like “What will I do next?”, “Will I even get a job within my degree?” “Is my degree even worth it?” “Will I even be able to pay off my student loans?”, and many more questions. But time continues to click by, and before you know it, you’re in your cap and gown shaking the dean's hand.
And suddenly you’re a college graduate.
Photo by Vasily Koloda on Unsplash downloaded 7/11/22
Being a college graduate shouldn’t seem like such a surprise. But, in a way it is. It can be a surprise that after four years of hard work, studying, internships, and sometimes missing out on things, that the payoff comes in the form of an hour-long ceremony, and then perhaps a graduation party. Suddenly though it stops, and you’re left with the aftermath of “being an adult”.
Life after college is a big change, in a short amount of time.
Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash downloaded 7/11/22
You’ve known people for four, maybe even five years. You may have met them freshman year, when the world was still new, and you were getting to experience new things, but now, after graduation people are moving. They might be moving back home, in with their parents, or maybe they’ve moved to a different state for a job. Regardless, the people that have become your rock over the past few years are now moved within a few short weeks.
There’s also a mind shift change, that can really take some time to turn off, that isn’t really talked about.
This mind shift change being school. Relatives often joke about being finished with school, and will ask “aren’t you glad you don’t have to do homework anymore”, which, of course, it is nice to not have those extra annoyances. When you’re in school the focus is homework, quizzes, exams, and sometimes trying to remember to eat and not just live on coffee and caffeine for weeks on end. You’ve drilled into your head the past four years of what to do, how to do it, and how to get a decent grade, because the light at the end of the tunnel was always graduation.
Even after graduating, there’s still that short panic of wondering if you have an exam you haven’t studied for, or homework that you didn’t remember to do. Before remembering that you are now a college graduate, and you no longer have homework. After four plus years of having a routine, it can be hard to switch off overnight.
This transition can be a lot, all at once.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash downloaded 7/11/22
It’s ok to admit that even after graduation you still may not know what direction your life is going. It’s ok to be scared, stressed, depressed, or even have some anxiety after graduation. Graduating in itself, is scary, it’s something that you’ve worked several years for, and then once you’re there, it can be scary to know what next steps to take.
How to reach out for help.
If you’re noticing that maybe those thoughts of anxiety, or worries, are getting in the way of your everyday life, please reach out to us. It’s ok to sometimes need some help, and we are here for you. We help with a variety of services such as depression, anxiety, life transitions, stress, grief, trauma, and so much more. We offer a safe and judge-free environment. So, if you need a little extra support please reach out to our website, or give us a call at 573-328-2288 ext. 1, and our client care coordinator will help set you up with a therapist that will meet your unique needs. Remember, it’s ok to need help, and it’s ok to be unsure after graduating, but remember, that if you can get a degree, you can do anything, and we are here to support you!
