Hello, dear readers. Today we have a special article for our seniors because we know you’re all going through an intense transitional period. Even though it feels like we just started the semester, graduation is sneaking up on us quickly. For many of us, post-grad is looming as a sea of unknowns. Some of us are awaiting life-changing news from graduate schools, companies, and fellowships, while others are just starting to peruse job listings. We’re all trying to simultaneously enjoy our last months of college, reflect on the past 3.5 years, and prepare (logistically and emotionally) for post-grad. No wonder it feels like we have a lot on our plates!
One of the biggest challenges I’ve noticed is the constant unproductive feeling related to post-grad planning. The process can feel never-ending because there are always more cover letters to write and job boards to scroll through. For a list-oriented person like myself, that is a nightmare because I can never check off that task. Instead, it just lingers and nags my mind constantly. Additionally, when I have more immediate tasks due, like an essay for class that needs to be completed before midnight, they become the priority and any post-grad-related tasks fall by the wayside. So, I’m in a constant state of stress and unproductivity, to which you might relate.
Through my constant complaining to my friends, family, and lovely therapist, I’ve gathered some advice to pass on to you all. One of the tips I’ve tried to integrate into my life is designating a realistic number of hours each week that I can devote solely to post-grad planning. This way I can feel accomplished when I complete this weekly goal, even though my whole post-grad life might not be planned out. If I’m able to fit in some extra hours in any given week, great! I can treat that as a bonus, but there is no pressure to do more than my weekly goal. Giving a little structure helps break down the seemingly insurmountable task of planning for post-grad and makes this never-ending task feel a little more manageable.
Another hurdle that I’ve had to face is decision paralysis regarding every aspect of my life next year. With so many doors open to us—in regards to where we live, what career we pursue, et cetera—it can feel overwhelming to make any decisions at all. Having operated within a school structure for the last 12+ years, we have never had this much control over these factors of our lives before. For me, this has created a huge amount of pressure. I simply feel too young to be making such big decisions! The only help that I can offer in this regard is that we’re all dealing with this to some extent, even those friends who seem to have everything planned. For example, I was recently talking to a friend who committed to a long graduate program, and I mentioned that I was jealous of her clarity on what she wanted to do with her life. She responded that she didn’t have a clue what she was “going to do with her life” but rather only knew what she wanted as her next step. This simple moment made me realize that I’ve been trying too hard to envision what my whole career might look like, rather than just following the next step on an ever-changing career path.
While I’m sure some of us are dreading the end of our time at Wes and others are counting down the days, we’re all experiencing this transition together. Even though it can feel like we need to have the rest of our lives figured out, remember that we only have to think about the next step. Good luck!
XOXO,
Dill & Doe