Transitions are hard, so if you feel stuck or discouraged, here are some pieces of advice for life after college. As a recent grad, I’ve gathered insight from family, friends, and professionals about life right after graduation.
A Big Transition
I’m not sure if anyone is truly prepared for life after college, or more generally, adulthood. Personally, I’ve always seemed to have somewhat of an idea of what’s next: after middle school, there’s high school, and after that, there’s college. Of course this is not the case for everyone, but I am grateful to have had some direction.
One could say I also know what comes after college – either a job or more school. However, this transition feels bigger than any I’ve experienced before. Now, I’m looking towards the rest of my life. Maybe this sounds dramatic, but this is kind of what it feels like. I could not tell you what my life will look like in five years, which is exciting, but also scary.
Unlike school where there’s structure and community, the “real world” means you may have to work from 9-5, put in a little extra effort to make new friends, budget your money, learn how to cook, find a new routine, and more. There are certainly a lot of growing pains aside from even finding a job or applying to more school.
Senior Year Scaries
That being said, all throughout my last year of college, I was freaking out about my life post-grad. It seemed like everyone either had return offers from their summer internships, knew exactly what they were pursing after college, or were constantly interviewing and prepping for various jobs.
I really tried to keep up, and let me tell you, it was tough. I attempted to push myself to check certain boxes and pursue other peoples’ paths, just because it seemed like the right thing to do.
As someone who had no idea what they wanted to do, I’m not saying I regret trying different things to figure it out. But looking back, my main motivation was to keep up with all my peers around me, which didn’t really allow me to take a step back and think about what I truly wanted my life to look like after college.
The Bright Side
There were, however, some upsides to my job application struggles during senior year: 1) I talked to many different individuals through informational interviews, and 2) I learned from each rejection
- I talked to many different individuals through informational interviews: In order to land jobs, one thing people said to do was NETWORK. I’m going to be honest, this was intimidating for me and certainly did not come naturally. But, I pulled up my big-girl pants and did my best. If I saw a role or company I was interested in, or if I found an alumni from my high school or college, I would reach out to tell them a bit about myself and ask about their experiences. From these informational interviews, I was not only able to learn in more detail about what peoples’ jobs actually entail, but I had the chance to practice speaking with professionals. Along the way, you’ll probably even get an idea of jobs, skills, companies, industries, etc., that you like or don’t like.
- I learned from each rejection: Rejections are never easy (but honestly, after some time, you realize it’s not personal and instead, just simply not meant to be). Even though it feels like a waste of time having gone through rounds of interviews and writing the perfect cover letter, each round, you’re practicing your interview skills and talking to all different types of professionals, from recruiters to managers to CEOs. You make connections and get more comfortable talking. Further, each rejection means you’re one step closer to finding what you’re actually meant to be doing.
6 Pieces of Advice for Life After College
Ultimately, from my countless applications and various interview opportunities, as well as from talking with family members and friends, I’ve gathered some pieces of advice. Now, these things are easier said than done – I know! But if you really take a moment to think about them and put your life into perspective, keeping these in mind can truly be helpful.
1. No one actually knows what they’re doing
No one (for the most part) actually knows what they’re doing! Whenever I would express to someone my frustration in not knowing what I wanted to do, nine times out of ten this is what the other person would tell me.
Of course, this is sometimes hard to hear because it sure seems like people know what they’re doing! I saw my peers “knowing what they were doing” from sophomore year of college, applying to internships that would set them up for job offers their senior year.
However, we are in our early 20s with years of possibilities left. My peers who seemed to have their life figured out simply chose something to pursue. I am not diminishing their drive and success by any means, but rather acknowledging that although they had an idea of what they were going to pursue, they did not necessarily have it all figured out.
People often change career paths multiple times, and many folks find out that the path they initially chose to pursue right after college was not something they wanted to stick with. This brings me to my second piece of advice…
2. You don’t have to love your first job
Your first job is not forever! I witnessed so many of my peers landing big jobs in big cities that made it seem like they had made it – their life was all figured out and they were doing exactly what they worked for. While this may be true for some, it made me feel like I had to get a super prestigious job with a big paycheck at a reputable company right out of college! But this is simply not true.
Your first job is a stepping stone and learning experience. You may find you enjoy it and stick with that company, industry, and type of role, or you may find it’s not for you and move on. I really had to put this into perspective for myself; I was trying to find the perfect role right away, which was especially difficult because I had trouble even defining “perfect”!
It is unrealistic to think that the very first job you land will be perfect. If it is, awesome! If it isn’t, that’s common, and take what you learned and move on.
Thus, find a couple things you value in a role and company, but don’t make your expectations unrealistic. Have an open mind and be willing to explore and learn!
3. Don’t compare yourself to others
This has been the thing I’ve struggled with the most. But since I’ve been out of college, I’ve had time to really grapple with this idea. Of course, it is much easier said than done. But, if you really work on taking this to heart, it can make a difference in your mindset and how you approach your life after college.
Again, I saw my peers and friends landing big jobs with big salaries, and creating, in my eyes, these romanticized lives. Let’s just say it’s been difficult not to compare myself to my high-achieving peers. When everyone around you seems to be figuring it out except for you, it can be frustrating and discouraging.
But as difficult as it is, do your best not to compare yourself to others. Doing so may even lead to you pursuing a path you think is “right” just because “everyone else” is doing it, but it’s not the right path for you. Work on giving yourself the courage to create your own goals and expectations based on your interests and passions.
4. Everyone’s on a different timeline
This is closely related to comparing yourself to others, but truly, everyone is on a different timeline. It’s easy to get caught up in the traditional path of going to college, then pursing a higher degree and climbing the corporate ladder. And I’m not saying this is a bad path, but it’s not the only one. People go back to school in their 30s, start businesses in their 50s, have side hustles and passion projects on the side, and take gap years throughout their careers.
You don’t have to have a big job lined up for right after college or plan out each successive year post-graduation. Maybe you take a year off to work part-time and travel, then go back to get your masters degree. Maybe you start working the month after graduation, change companies a few times, then get your degree in a completely different industry. Or maybe you find a job after six months and you stick with it for about a year, then decide to take time off to pursue a passion project.
There really is no “right” timeline, and this is something I’ve been trying to keep in mind after graduating from college. If you give yourself grace and allow yourself to be okay with figuring out your own timeline, you’re less likely to put so much pressure on yourself, and instead embrace the process.
5. Do things to learn
As a bit more time has passed after graduation, I’ve realized the value in learning in order to grow both professionally and personally. If you don’t know what you’re doing right after graduation or don’t have a job lined up, that’s okay!
I know it’s hard not to be motivated by prestige and money, especially when your peers have big jobs and big pay checks. But your first job, especially, is about learning. If you don’t have anything lined up or you’re in between jobs, take time to learn about skills you’re interested in or learn more about yourself – you may discover a passion you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
Watch YouTube videos, take courses/get a certificate, start a side hustle, or begin a passion project. There are so many ways to learn aside from the traditional avenues. Explore, find inspiration, and be open to learning! Maybe that’s through a job post-grad, but maybe it’s through taking some time off.
6. Take a break!
Allow yourself time to adjust to this new chapter in your life! You deserve a break – you have the rest of your life to work. This is what people have told me, and frankly, it’s nice to have a breather. If you can afford to take some time off while figuring out your next move, I recommend doing so. Again, you can start a passion project, travel, teach yourself new skills, try new hobbies, and more. Doing so may even lead to some personal growth and realizations.
You Got This!
Of course, I am thankful to have a wonderful support system cheering me on post-grad. They do not put pressure on me to rush or pursue a certain path. Everyone’s circumstances are different, but I hope these pieces of advice provided a sense of relief and encouragement as you navigate your life after college.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, that can be exciting! There are so many possibilities out there; realize you have the ability to follow various paths on your own timeline. You got this!
