Onto The Next Chapter: End of University
Congratulations on making it through another year of university! Maybe this is your final year and graduation is on the horizon?
Everyones after university experience looks different. Some of us are planning on travelling the world – solo adventures or one last girls trip before entering the world of work – while some of us already have a job lined up before graduation comes around. Some of us return to our childhood home to save up some money or decide they aren’t ready to leave further education just yet, taking on a Masters, a PGCE or even a PHD.
No matter which you decide to do, it is important to stay positive during this fundamental change in your life. Studies have shown that 75% of mental health issues arise before we hit 24 and with your life changing rapidly, meaning a lot of graduates experience some form of mental health issue, often anxiety or depression, throughout their time at university.
Over 3.2 million 20-24 year olds in the UK live at home with their parents. For some of us, moving back home to your parents might seem like a failure – admitting defeat by giving up your independence and shocking your parents at your 4am drive to McDonalds. But many graduates who go back home use it as an opportunity to save money to put towards their own house and for some financial stability after years of loans and overdraft re-payments.
UCAS recommends that recent graduates take at least a six month break after initially leaving university to explore your options instead of rushing to settle on a job thats not right for you. But many graduates feel the pressure to secure a job before then, either a social pressure or the need to afford to live if returning home is no longer an option.
“Suddenly having to get a full time job instead of student loans and trying to get universal credit to support myself while searching felt like I was jumping through hoops for only minimum wage. Alongside financially paying the whole house’s council tax by myself whilst renting with three students.” Alex told Cohorted, a graduate from 2019 who graduated with a degree in Psychology. He did say however that “overall, it was a good lesson in independence and initiative.” which seems to be a common takeaway from many graduates – learning to be truly independent for possibly the first time.
After getting rejected from jobs, it is important to remember to be kind to yourself and recognise that you’re still young. Climbing up your ideal career ladder might prove to be more challenging than expected, especially when college preaches about how your degree will help you to secure your dream job. But it might not happen straight after throwing your cap into the air and that’s where the nerves start to set in. While your ideal role might be slightly out of reach, you might be able to land a slightly different role within the same field – an alternative route to your desired role. Graduate schemes have become increasingly popular after the pandemic made it harder for graduates to kick start their career – they also narrow the applicant pool from everyone whose looking for a job to recent graduates.
Some choose to scrape together whatever they have left from their student loan or part-time work in order to travel before settling down. Either a short holiday or a year out travelling the world. One last hurrah before entering the world of 9-5s! This can help to reset your brain before jumping from one big commitment to another. The world holds a plethora of opportunities and experiences for everyone if you’re brave enough to take the leap. Especially now where the internet has become an everyday go-to for information and communication, you have the chance to work remotely from wherever you please.
University isn’t always about our degrees and what they exclusively taught us. “After graduating university, I’ve found the skills I learned on how to be independent whilst in dorms to be the best thing I took from it. Having my own space and leading my own life has made me feel like I’m finally learning to bloom.” Alice said, a 25 year old who graduated in 2021 from a university in West Yorkshire.
Some of your friends from your course might feel the same as you do, just because you might have all moved away from university doesn’t mean you’ve lost those connections. So keeping in touch with them can help you feel less alone as you try to navigate this new chapter of your life.
Not many of us talk about how scary it can be to leave education for the first time in your life. Since you entered nursery, you’ve jumped from one institution to the next and now you’ve left, you’ve finally left. What are we meant to do now?
“Graduating left me scared. I felt like I had run out of time since I like to plan for stuff and of course the situation was out of my control, leaving me wondering if I will be able to find a job.” – Ewelina, a 24 year old graduate from December 2020, told Cohorted. But this scary feeling will only be temporary. It is natural to fear the unknown so once you find your footing, this change won’t seem so bad. Ewelina was able to secure a job by August 2021 working for the NHS and is now saving for a house with her partner.
You can use this time to help build up your CV with part time work, volunteering, or developing skills such as entry level computer coding or learning a new language. If you are lacking experience outside of your degree, this is the perfect opportunity to pad out your CV before tackling those job applications. And even after you do start to apply for jobs, remember to be kind to yourself and recognise your worth.
You are still young and the right role for you is out there.
You’ve got this!
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