A Guide to Post-Graduation Life

College is an amazing time. You’re surrounded by friends and like-minded people on a daily basis. It’s an opportunity to strike out on your own after years of living at home with your family, and it’s a great time to develop your own sense of self. You spend your days studying with friends, drinking coffee, reading, and listening to music, and your nights are spent dancing, drinking, and having fun.

Life after college can feel like a big adjustment, and it’s another big step. If you’re worried about life after you graduate, here is a guide to help you get settled into the world of work.

Finding a Job

Finding a job straight out of college is hard. Nearly everybody graduates at the same time, and the job market gets saturated with college grads every year, with everyone vying for similar positions.

A lot of people end up having to do unpaid or low-paying internships to get their foot in the door of a career or a company they like the look of. It’s not for everyone—many people simply aren’t in a financial position to work for free.

If you’re struggling to find work and get paid, consider taking a part-time volunteer role or internship and working in a bar or coffee shop to support yourself. It’s hard work, but hopefully will be a temporary solution to get you the experience you need to get hired elsewhere.

Keep in Touch

Post-graduation life can be a shock to the system in terms of your social life. If you moved away for college, the majority of your friends might be dotted around the country. It’s hard to go from seeing your friends every day to being hundreds of miles away, but make the effort to keep in touch.

Schedule regular phone calls and video chats with friends, and plan road trips—you can always meet halfway.

Be an Active Alumnus

If you’re missing campus life, consider getting involved with your former college’s alumni scheme. Universities love hearing from former students.

Why not organize a fundraising drive to help your alma mater raise money? There are many types of effective college fundraiser, and schools always need the extra cash.

Once you’ve found a job, you could also consider becoming a mentor for current students. Get in touch with your favorite professor to see if anyone has questions you could answer about your new line of work.

Don’t Get Burned Out

The world of work can be hard, and post-college burnout is real. If you’re trying to maintain an active social life, find a job, go on dates, see family members, and pay your rent on time, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

Make an effort to take care of yourself as often as you can. Eat healthy foods, get enough exercise, and aim for eight hours of sleep every night. Stress can easily overwhelm even the most level-headed people, so don’t be too hard on yourself.

The important thing to remember after you graduate is that everyone’s going at their own pace. Some of your friends will find well-paying jobs straight out of college, move into a gorgeous apartment, and get married. Others will take years before they get to that stage, if they ever do. Set yourself achievable goals and work hard, but don’t beat yourself up if things aren’t panning out well as quickly as you’d hoped; life isn’t a race.