There are only 5 weeks left in the quarter (HOW?) and as a fourth year student, I’m freaking out. I’ll be graduating at the end of the quarter, and everywhere I go I’m asked, “So, what’s the plan after graduation?” To which I’m always responding with, “Uh, I’m not sure yet,” followed by nervous laughter. If you’re graduating these upcoming quarters, you may know exactly how I feel.
I’m here to remind EVERYONE that it is absolutely okay to not know what you’re doing after graduation! Don’t let that big question loom over you, here’s why everything is going to be okay:
We are young. Most of us are graduating while in our early 20s; we’re just leaving our teenage years! Let that sink in! We have our entire life ahead of us, there is no way we’re gonna have it all figured out yet. I still eat cereal for dinner sometimes, how am I supposed to know what the next five years will be like?!
We’ve been in school for at least 4 years. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been focusing most of my time and attention on the classes I’ve been taking. I haven’t had the energy to think about post-grad plans, and I’m sure other students feel the same way. The quarter system made time go by WAY too fast. I think we’re allowed to take a breather after we finish.
There are so many options. Should I travel, apply to grad school, find a job, take a gap year, stay in Santa Barbara, move away, etc.? I don’t know!
You are not alone. You are not the only person who hasn’t got a clue on what their post-grad plans are. It’s made me feel a lot better to hear other people say that they’re also unsure of what to do after graduating. So, even if your friends may have it figured out, I can guarantee that there are people who are going through the same thing, myself included.
So if you find yourself stressing over graduation, try to keep these things in mind. Remind your friends, family, and colleagues that it’s okay to not know what to do next. We still have time.