Life After Graduation (So Far)

Graduating from college with my Bachelor of Science degree was one of the biggest accomplishments that I have ever experienced in my life. I can say that it didn’t take me the normal four years like everyone else; it took me five years to finish, and I am not ashamed to say it. I told myself that this was only the beginning for me. I have a lot more to accomplish and pursue in my life. So the next thing I asked myself was: What’s next for me?

I know you all may be wondering that same thing. Could it be graduate school? Finding a job in my field? Pursuing motivational speaking? Writing a book? The answer is ALL OF THE ABOVE! I plan to pursue all of this as time goes on.

Ever since graduation, I have been feeling a bit unsatisfied and sad. I have been feeling this way because I realized that I have had nothing else to do with my time. I have even cried to my mom and told her how I felt. I enjoy relaxing and stuff, but it has gotten to the point where I became somewhat depressed along with feelings of unease and no sense of purpose. There were days where I did not sleep/stayed up late at night because I knew that I didn’t have anything to do the next day. When I was in college, I was always busy, whether it be class work, on campus jobs, and clubs/organizations. It was never a dull day in my college career. I loved being busy because it gave me a sense of purpose. I enjoy interacting with people and helping others.

I have been job hunting and grad school searching. It has not been an easy process. I have been applying for at least 40-50 jobs in total so far. I have had countless interviews, and unfortunately things have not turned the way I wanted it to so far. I know that the right job is out there for me, but it has gotten harder and harder every time. As far as grad school searching is concerned, I have applied for six graduate schools and submitted all applications and supplemental materials by the time the month of August came. Since I applied, I have been playing the waiting game. As of right now, I have received two acceptance letters so far, and I am really excited about that.

In a nutshell, things have been a bit slow and idle for me. When I see all of my friends and classmates flourishing and doing big things, I am genuinely happy for them. But sometimes I have asked myself, “When is it going to be my turn?” It hasn’t been an easy transition, but I’m learning each day that this current situation that I am in is only temporary. So what I have been doing now is making time for hobbies and adventures such as playing music, working out, and even starting my book.

Post-grad depression is a real situation. You may feel like nothing is going your way. You may feel like you want to just sit at home all day every day and cry and complain. You may even find yourself feeling unmotivated to do anything. You may also have feelings of doubt, worry, loneliness, uncertainty, or even feel like you going to college was a waste of time because you can’t find a job in your field.

Here’s my advice to you: Yeah it’s not an easy feat to keep going and persevere, but you have to keep pushing forward. I could easily just give up and go through life without having any kind of ambition or goals, but that is not who I am. Don’t let how fast your peers move into their fields diminish who you are or make you think less of yourself. What is for you is meant for you, no matter how slow or fast the opportunity may come. Sometimes, you will have to create opportunities for yourself as well. At the end of the day, the hurt that you are feeling right now or the uncertainty may have is not going to last forever. You have come too far to give up now. Nothing in life will come easy, but it requires a lot of patience, grit, and determination. You weren’t created to just sit around and do nothing. We each have a purpose in life. It’s up to you to find out what it is. You got to take the initiative to go for your dreams and aspirations. In the mean time, you should take time out to enjoy life while you can. Go hang out with some friends, take yourself out to eat, exercise, read a book, or even meditate. Your time is coming. We are all bred for success! You just gotta believe!!