3 Things To Consider To Ease Your Anxiety After Undergrad
The four years of undergraduate studies can be the best few years of your life — you make friends and connections, you work towards your career and you make memories that’ll stay with you forever. As you begin your final year, you might start to feel a little anxious — what do you do after graduation?
Graduating can be scary. After having these four years of your life planned out, living in a fixed routine, knowing what to do and what to expect, you’re now left with an array of options, all of which seem enticing and yet, can feel overwhelming. Not everyone has everything planned and not everyone has the time during college to prepare for the post-graduation life. It might feel like a race and that you have to figure out what to do with your life right this instant, but there’s more to the post-graduation life than chasing a job and pursuing higher studies.
Here are three things to consider to ease your anxiety:
Taking a gap year
For many of us, taking a gap year sounds daunting. Taking some time for yourself after spending four years on your degree isn’t going to set you back. Rather, you can take this time to really assess your options and figure out what works best for you. Remember, jobs and graduate programs aren’t going anywhere and will be there for you when you’re ready (mentally and resume wise). Yes, going into a job straight after graduating or pursuing higher studies are always valid options, but if you’re doubting yourself and are unsure of these two options, a gap year might be what you need.
In my case, I took a gap year after my undergraduate studies to build my resume and to research higher studies programs that aligned with my future goals and career. During this one year, I spent quite a bit of time doing voluntary work and other internships and part-time jobs that would add to my resume as a writer. Although my desired MFA programs weren’t in my favor, I later went on to a teaching program that aligned with my passion of studying English literature. Moreover, I was able to keep some of the jobs I had applied to during my gap year, through which I’m able to keep my writing career going.
Remember, there’s no rush. Even if your friends and batchmates are all working or pursuing higher studies, there’s no reason to feel left behind. Do what’s best for you and take this time to really think about where you see yourself going.
It’s okay to not know
Society has a way of expecting that we’ll know what to do after graduation and have everything sorted out. The pressure of these expectations often weigh on us and make us feel like we have to make a decision without even thinking about it. Eventually, we end up following the herd and taking up the first opportunity that’s presented to us.
It’s important to isolate these expectations. After all, whatever decision you make primarily impacts your life and well-being and not that of the wider society. You might feel like you’re wasting your undergraduate degree or even stuck in a cycle of not knowing; however, it’s okay to not know. Believe it or not, you’re not supposed to know right away. Knowing what to do and where to go takes time to figure out and a four-year undergraduate journey might not have given you the time and resources to explore those options yourself. So, every time someone asks you why you haven’t done anything after you’ve graduated, take a breath and remind yourself that it’s okay to not know. As you settle in and begin to research your options, you’ll have a clear idea of what you want to do and how to go about it.
You’re not alone
It might seem like everyone has something going for them after graduation. When you look closely and start talking to people, you’ll find many others stuck in this limbo of not knowing what to do. Having that support system, even if it’s just one person, can help with your anxiety. When you talk with someone experiencing the same anxieties and uncertainties as you, you’re likely to find possible options and solutions. Additionally, it helps to have a support system that you can socialize with and talk about what you’re feeling and experiencing. There’s no reason to embark on this journey of uncertainty alone. Share the helplessness and something good is bound to come out of it.
When you graduate college, you’re still young and in your prime years when you can explore entrepreneurship or starting your own business, traveling and wellness, considering which state or country you might want to live in, and what kind of work you want to do. Despite the social expectation and pressure, you’re right where you’re supposed to be and taking the time to work on yourself is never a loss. The anxiety you experience is natural and in this world where hustle culture is still prominent, take a breath and open yourself to a world of opportunities.
Written by Puja Sarkar, Press & Written Media team
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