Feeling Lost After College? How to Navigate Young Adult Life Transitions and Cope with Post-Grad Stress
Graduation represents a significant life milestone. Whether it’s earning an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or a more advanced degree, it often represents the culmination of a journey that began in early childhood. While this represents a finish line, it is also the start of a new chapter that can be filled with excitement, possibility, and the unknown.
From Structure to Uncertainty: The Emotional Shock After Graduation
From an educational perspective, our lives may follow a predictable rhythm for 18 or more years. From kindergarten through high school, the daily schedule is largely decided for everyone. School days, extracurricular activities, sports, and clubs are all built into this structure for the K-12 life season. With college, there may be a bit more freedom; however, the framework still remains similar with scheduled classes, easy to access resources, and a wealth of social opportunities just a campus life webpage away.
Graduation is often met with feelings of excitement. Between the ceremonies or parties, students finally have an opportunity to reflect on many years of hard work, often surrounded by the people who supported them the most throughout the journey. Career dreams start to feel like they are just around the corner. For many, it marks the beginning of a new reality.
After graduation, the structure that once existed each day is replaced with more choices and flexibility. Graduates may find themselves relocating for a job, building new social circles, managing bills/student loans, or living on their own for the first time. With the rise of remote work, graduates may even be presented with opportunities to work from anywhere. While these opportunities are exciting, some individuals may experience uncertainty through the changes. It is not uncommon for graduates to feel overwhelmed by these new layers of independence and responsibility.
5 Tips to Navigate Life Transitions After College
When navigating major life transitions, it can be helpful to keep these few things in mind:
- Maintain your sense of rhythm. Try to be mindful of the activities and habits that you have been involved in up until this point. If you participated in activities (soccer, competitive dance, musical group, etc.), try to find ways to keep these parts of your life alive in some way. Continuing with your passions can stimulate a sense of familiarity and joy. Take the time to explore what is available to you locally through your community.
- Give yourself time to adjust. There are mixed emotions that can come with the start of a new life chapter. Give yourself permission to feel and adapt at your own pace. Think back to other moments in your life where you navigated a major life change, as this may provide helpful insight into how you experience change. It can take time to transition into something new, and it is okay not to have all the answers immediately!
- Set Goals. Setting both short-term goals (attainable within days, weeks, or months) and long-term goals (achievable over the course of years) may be a helpful upon entering this new life chapter. When setting personal or professional goals, use of the SMART goal format can ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. A useful template for expanding on your goals can be found here.
- Recognize your worth. As you find yourself within this new chapter, it is important to stay grounded in your value. Recognize your worth, both as a professional and whole person. Surround yourself with people who uplift you: friends, mentors, colleagues, bosses, who encourage you. These individuals should believe in your potential and push you to grow, in ways that are both supportive and respectful. Research communities and workplaces that align with your values/goals, and where you feel seen and heard. Though growth can come from being challenged and stretched beyond your comfort zone, it should never come at the cost of your mental or emotional well-being.
- Don’t hesitate to seek support. It can be helpful to talk with a therapist during times of transition. Having this professional guidance can provide a space to process the end of one chapter, and the beginning of a new one. It represents a safe and neutral space to process all of the new that is happening.
Graduation can represent both an ending and a beginning. As you enter this new chapter, stay grounded and give yourself grace during the various phases of adjustment that can come your way. Most importantly, trust that you have done the work to prepare to embark on this new journey that awaits.