It’s been 4 months since I’ve graduated from college. I always knew before graduating that life after college would be hard, but I didn’t think it would be this hard. Not having to get at 7 am every morning, responding to text messages and emails, doing assignments before class, going to class, going to meetings, etc. I miss those days, but it had to come to an end at some point.
The semester before graduating, I had a plan for what I wanted to do. I wanted to get an internship for Summer 2020 to get more work experience and secure an offer before graduating. I also was going to have my final semester to be a chill semester where I wouldn’t have to do any student worker jobs and just still be a part of my organization. All of that went out the window when the pandemic happened. I was sad. Then, I made a new plan and I was sure that this new plan would be the one. I got a student job and stayed a part of student organizations. I was working twice as hard, but i couldn’t find a job before graduating. I thought I would find some type of work in order to save to go to grad school. There was nothing out there that stood out that I knew I would be a fit for me.
Once I graduated in December 2020, I decided not to start looking for a job right away. Only because it was Christmas time and most companies/businesses are closed for the Holidays and probably weren’t hiring around that time. I didn’t sweat it too much.
Nearly 4 months later, it hasn’t gotten any easier. At least I have content creating as my only outlet to stay occupied till I’m hired. Trying to stay patient for a job is hard. Despite being in a pandemic, I still want to work. I want to work to not only gain more skills and experiences, but to also make my own living to live on my own and expand my blog/ brand.
There also have been days after graduating where I wonder if I’ll ever be good enough for any type of business or company. The employment market is so complex for anyone. It doesn’t matter if you have a degree or not. You can have a great resume with all the experience and skills and give a great first impression at an interview, but you still won’t get hired. I’ve had my fair share of not getting hired for student jobs, but for an actual real job is a different story.
Post grad life does have a mental toll. Being home all the time and not working. Especially with us being in a pandemic where you can’t go out or do much. I try to stay as hopeful as possible, but it’s hard. I’m only 22 years old and I’m already worried about so much in life and not having certain things done by the time I’m a certain age. Like getting my master’s degree by the timeI’m 25, getting married and being successful, making a 6-8 figure salary before I’m 30, have kids before I’m 35, etc. I get it. Social media has me thinking like this to have certain things done. I’m brainwashed. I feel that I don’t have any of these things accomplished, I'll be considered a failure. It’s stressful.
All I can do at this point is just hope for the best that something will happened.