For a lot of college seniors, myself included, impending graduation can be quite nerve-wracking. There’s this stress of “What am I going to do next?” I’m here to tell you that you do not need to have it all figured out. Although it’s great to have a plan, not everyone knows exactly what they’re going to do with their degree. And that’s okay!
I think that there is this pressure for students to have a set plan for what they’re going to do with their life after graduation. Obviously, that’s a lot to burden yourself with. Sure, there are people who do know exactly what their career is going to look like and what they want to do next. However, that’s not the case for everybody! Some people, myself included, have no idea what they’re doing next.
It’s normal to be anxious about graduation, it’s the end of a chapter of your life. However, it’s great to remind yourself how exciting it is that a new chapter is beginning. Not everybody’s path is going to look the same. Comparing yourself to fellow students is not a valuable use of your time.
COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY.
Theodore Roosevelt
Graduation is the end of a chapter of your life— of course students can become anxious about what’s next. However, it’s great to remind yourself how exciting it is that a new chapter is beginning. Comparing yourself to other students can rob you of that excitement. Not everybody’s post-grad plans are going to look the same. Some people, like myself, are still figuring it out.Â
Everybody has their own path. If you’re in the same boat as I am, just know that it’s okay to give yourself time to figure out what you want to do. There are plenty of examples of successful people who did not use their degree or didn’t finish their degree.
Famous actors Will Ferrell and Hugh Jackman are great examples of this. According to Looper, Hugh Jackman took a gap year before starting college and when he did graduate it was with a journalism degree. Beloved actor and comedian Will Ferrell, while giving a commencement speech at USC, shared that he had graduated there with a degree in Sports Information. There are also many other accomplished people who share similar stories.
It is also alright to not have a job lined up right after college. According to LinkedIn, it’s not uncommon to wait over a year before securing a career with your degree. Plenty of successful people did not get to where they are until way after college.
It may be cliché, but enjoy the journey. Explore new career paths if you’re not interested in your degree. If you love your degree but you are unsure what to do with it, look into what other graduates were able to do with theirs. Investigate the options you have. Graduation anxiety may be normal, but it’s also important to remind yourself you have plenty of new beginnings awaiting you as well.
