What They Don’t Tell You About Life After Graduation

No matter how prepared you are for life after graduation and no matter how much advice you have received from friends and family about that bleak period in your life, nothing fully prepares you for the sudden shift that happens in your life.

After years of studying, submitting research, racing against the clock to finalize group projects, and taking all exams, you are finally free from all the hassle, you have finally graduated — the moment when all hard work and sleepless nights have finally paid off.

You wake up feeling different, scared but excited for what the future holds as you start traveling with friends and family, go on crazy adventures to finally settle down and think about the next big move…entering the workforce.

Here you are, a fresh grad with big plans, as you fire up your laptop and start creating your resume then applying to every internship or job opportunity you come across, only for this dreadful moment to hit, which is “Wait, what am I doing?” “should I keep applying to jobs or should I enjoy life a little longer?” whatever decision you make, you will not feel good about it.

Sorry to be the breaker of bad news, but no matter how prepared you are for life after graduation and no matter how much advice you have received from friends and family about that bleak period in your life, nothing fully prepares you for the sudden shift that happens in your life. There are a couple of things that your friends and family may have not failed to mention to you but certainly didn’t cover all bases when it comes to how to handle life after graduation.

The Journey to Seek a Job is Long and Tedious

One of the biggest misconceptions we used to have as students is that by the time we graduate, all we have to do is simply apply for the job and we are in. Sorry to burst your bubble but that’s not how corporate life is, as there are thousands of applicants who also are applying for the same job as you, so normally, you won’t get a callback right away.

Also, each company has:

• Certain number of people who they can hire
• They usually look for a certain certificate you have or a specific course you’ve attended
• Tons of CVs they are going through from applicants, so you might probably get an email or something later on, like waaayyy later (trust me, I’ve been there.)

There is a Chance That Your First Career Choice Probably Won’t Be the One You End Up With

While most people graduate and work in the field they studied, some decide to leave it all behind and start from scratch.

Rediscovering what you want to do later on in life doesn’t require reaching a certain age, you can work in the field you have studied during your time in college, only to figure out that you might not like it after all, and that’s okay.

So if you feel like you don’t belong in your job, that’s completely fine, it just means that your heart isn’t in the right place.

There is No Textbook on How to Work or Handle Business

We got used to people telling us what to do, how to behave, what to study…etc. Yet whether it’s entering the workforce or just dealing with depression after graduation, there’s no clear guidebook on how to handle life/work or relationships.

Everyone’s circumstances and coping mechanisms are vastly different, so just because something worked with someone you know, doesn’t necessarily mean it will work with you. Each step you take has its consequences, in this life, you live, make mistakes, and learn.

Your Progress will be Regressed

As unfortunate as it is, the progress you’ll make whether in a relationship, health, or work..etc, will be plagued with challenges.

It’s an essential part of life that after graduation, things suddenly enter the hard mode. Each simple thing is harder to earn and each endeavor has its tribulations, so fasten your seat belt, it’s gonna be a bumpy period.

Friendships and Family Affairs Won’t Be Easy

When you are in college, you become accustomed to seeing your friends daily and more interaction with your parents, afterward, everything is about to change, for your friends will be busy also looking for jobs, getting married or planning to travel, and your parents have decided to let you discover the world on your own as a way to help you mature and make you know how to handle life without a handout. This means the comfort zone in your life won’t be easy to reach at any time you want, it’s the harsh reality but you have to go through it.

Despite all these points that paint life after graduation as the nightmare from the deepest of hell, there’s hope and a life worth living. With each bad interview you fail, an awkward situation you entered, a relationship you fumbled, there are lessons learned, a development that happened and funny stories to be told.

When you grow old, you will be looking at these days with fondness and nostalgia running in your mind.

Nothing in life is easy, but the sweet smell of adventure, entering a new phase, and upping the ante will make you stronger, and sharper and will transform you from a caterpillar to a butterfly.