Post-Grad Blues: What I wish I knew about finishing University.
- Oct 3, 2022
- 5 min read
I left University about four months ago, and within that time I noticed a significant shift in my mental state. After all the adrenaline of the past three years, everything suddenly came to an end on a random Monday in June and I found myself feeling a bit lost and very uncertain about the future. After speaking with several students who recently graduated, I realised that this was extremely common, so this week I’ve decided to do something a little different. This week we are going to be open and honest, and discuss three things I wish I knew about before I left university and a few wise words that I hope will help if you too, are struggling with the change.
The "post-uni" Burnout:
The biggest thing I wasn’t prepared for after finishing university, was the burnout. I’m sure every graduate has experienced this, but from a creative perspective, for a few months I had no energy to create or apply for creative opportunities. I had no desire to grab my camera and experiment with a new process and I definitely had no energy to even think about social media. After three years of constant creating, experimenting, researching and explaining why I was doing the things I was doing, the need or want to create just vanished. The very thought of producing content or going out to create felt very exhausting and I’m sure many of you reading this have probably felt the same.
The only thing that eventually helped me through this creative block, was to embrace it. Accepting that burnt-out feeling is one of the first steps to reaching your potential again. This next part may sound obvious, but looking after yourself really is the best thing you can do in this moment and acknowledge that it’s okay to not be creative all the time. It’s okay to not push out all the social media content, all the time! Rest is productive, and often the best creative work comes after taking a break.
The pressure for ‘Instant Success’:
During the transition from student to graduate, I felt this sudden weight on my shoulders, as if I needed to be doing something big to prove that my degree wasn’t a complete waste of time (which is a common assumption if you tell someone you’ve completed an art/humanities degree). So what was the first thing I did? I participated in an exhibition! The exhibition itself was a fantastic opportunity and it was great to get some gallery experience outside of University; but looking back I do question my intentions as to whether I did it for the experience, or did it because I felt I needed to. There is this immense pressure that graduates feel when they leave University to find the ‘perfect’ graduate job or to dive straight into that Master’s degree; if that happened for you then congratulations! However, this doesn’t happen for everyone, and I suppose this is a little love-letter to those who are still searching for the right graduate job or like me, are still uncertain about what direction you want to head in.
Success does not occur immediately for everyone and that’s okay! Not getting a graduate job, delaying a Master’s, or taking time out is okay, and should be normalised a lot more. You are no less of a graduate because you are still figuring out your journey. I’m still learning that I don’t need to continuously prove my degree was worth it, because there will always be people out there who think it’s pointless. Instead, I am celebrating the small wins, knowing that eventually they will progress to much bigger and better things. Try to be gentle with yourself, the transition out of academics and academic validation can be heavy, so give yourself some grace during this new stage of life.
The Isolation:
The final thing I wish I knew about before I finished University, was how isolated I would feel. Even though 18 months of my degree was spent stuck at home or in my flat online, I saw my friends, and cohort every day, I chatted with them everyday, and we really did build a strong group relationship. My University friends are some of my dearest, life-long friends, and the quite abrupt transition from seeing them nearly 24/7, to not seeing them at all was really tough for me. I’m not great with change, no matter how much I prepare for it, and I’ve never felt more isolated than when I moved back home. There is also the change in routine to navigate, when suddenly you don’t need to wake at 8am and walk to University for your studio session with the friendliest tech staff (you probably won’t read this, but hi if you do!). Without routine you almost feel a little lost. It’s all the little moments, and all those relationships formed that you miss the most.
I think the only thing that can really help in this situation is to keep those group chats! I still talk to my friends pretty much everyday, we have a laugh and a joke to keep spirits high and we have made plans around graduation so we have something to look forward to. We are also keeping certain traditions like secret Santa going, which I think will make our first Christmas away from University a little brighter. These little steps will help keep you in contact with friends and may help you feel less isolated. We even have apps like zoom, facetime and video messenger these days! It’s so easy to see each other face to face now, even if you are scattered around the country. There are situations however, where these tips may not be applicable, or just don’t help. If you are really struggling, always reach out for professional help and don’t struggle alone.
Finishing University can often feel more difficult than starting, so I hope if you are reading this as a graduate, however long it has been, that you can find comfort and solace knowing that you’re not alone if you feel unsteady. If you needed the permission that it’s okay to feel how you feel, then let this be it, and I hope that some of the words resonated with you. If you are the parent, family member, partner or friend of a graduate that is struggling, hopefully this may help you understand their feelings. All change is difficult, new beginnings often don’t come without a tinge of nostalgia for what has gone, and it’s extremely hard not to compare your journey with others, graduate or not. Nothing can really prepare you for the leap, just take things as they come, go easy on yourself and eventually you will find the path meant for you.
I will leave you with this lovely extract written by Natasha T Miller entitled ‘To Existing Being Enough’, a gentle reminder that it’s okay to just exist in this moment.
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