Graduation is finally over. No more nerves, no more wonderment. Time to move on and work, right?
Here are the five things that will happen after graduation that others won’t tell you:
You will feel some sort of anxiety, depression, jealousy, or bitterness.
You just completed four hard years of schooling and you feel a sense of entitlement. You earned the
right to have good employment with a decent pay. You went through hell for something better, right?
But all you can seem to find yourself doing is applying for jobs and answering the same
questions over and over, and all you want to do is jump off a huge diving board into a pool of money
and food. You see your friends, some of whom didn’t even attend college, living what appears to be
comfortable lifestyles. You want that; you deserve that. Why can’t you have that? It’s gonna take
time. Be patient, keep applying and follow up on the applications. Bug the shit out of those employers
and show you’re worthy and consistent.
You’ll realize how much you are going to owe the school.
The majority of graduates will be alongside you. In debt. Normally, you’ll get a leeway of six months
before a first payment is due. My advice? Start saving now, pay double the asked amount and be debt
free. If this means eating out less or having less of a social life, so be it. Debt sucks and the more you
have the more you feel helpless. Take control.
You’ll begin to have feelings of sadness and you’ll miss your campus.
It’s okay, you aren’t alone. No, obviously you don’t miss the work or homework or long nights spent
cussing out the paper you procrastinated on. But the thought that your routine is gone and you no
longer will see your schoolmates will make you feel a small sadness. It’s alright. Let yourself feel sad. It
was a nice ride and you made somewhat of a home within those walls of comfort. It’s alright to miss it,
and it’s alright to keep in touch with others and visit the campus. No one will look at you like you’re
crazy. Okay, some might. But go anyway. It’s nice to visit places you’ve moved on from. It will allow
you to appreciate what you’ve accomplished.
You’ll “lose” friends.
I don’t mean that there will be some argument a dramatic exit. Maybe you were one of the
people who took things a little too serious and to heart, while others were simply enjoying living in the
moment. A reality sets in. Perhaps you saw friends weekly outside of classes or maybe you talked to
one person a little more than you intended and formed a friendship. Well, it’s often true that although
those other people loved you and enjoyed your company, they have left school and sometimes left the
idea of your friendship. It’s nothing against you. It’s just simply how they operate. Don’t be silly and
take it personal. Basically, life changes, schedules change, and some people even move away. Instead of
focusing on all the change, think of the better times and appreciate what you had. There’s nothing
wrong with reaching out to say hello, but never feel bad simply because you once were a priority
and no longer are. Some people are just “out of sight, out of mind” types, but they mean no harm.
You will graduate, but you’ll never stop learning.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking learning is over. There are so many beautiful, amazing things to
learn outside of a classroom. Always be open to listening. Understand that someone without a degree
can be just as valuable and worthy of your time as someone who followed your steps. Often, people
graduate and assume others who didn’t follow their exact lifestyle are less than them, and that is very
untrue. Always remember to remain humble, be open to all kinds of people and, although you should
be proud of yourself for accomplishing something not all can do, never ever wear it on your sleeve as if
that is the only thing that you have going for you. If having a college degree is your most prized
possession, fine, you earned it, as did many others, but never think that is all you have going for you.
Leave a Reply