So you’ve got your degree, you’re waiting for your graduation (or already had it), what next if you haven’t made any plans?
So you’ve got your degree, you’re waiting for your graduation (or already had it), what next if you haven’t made any plans? You’ve spent so long in education (over 16 years!) and then all of a sudden you’re thrown into the big bad world. But is it really that scary?
Luckily I’ve still got a year to figure out what I want to do post-university but does planning ever work? We all sit at one point in our university lives and try and figure something out so it’s not a too big of a shock. Plans to travel the world, save money by living at home, get a job or maybe even consider further study are all ideas that are usually thrown about. But faced with the reality of having to stand on our own two feet, how can we cope?
Well here are five ways to make sure your life doesn’t stop after graduation:
Boomerang generation
As the so-called “boomerang generation” thanks to the current economic climate, many university students are returning back home to their parents while they figure out their next move. Now after 3 years of enjoying your basic culinary skills, it’s now time to enjoy some home-made cooking, a rare luxury that we’ve scarcely been able to enjoy. To some, moving back home can seem like a step backwards in the master plan of life but it’s mainly just an altercation and you won’t be the only one. Over 3.2 million 20-24 year olds in the UK are currently living back at home. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing: moving back home can give you that extra push to find a job and start living out on your own.
Job Hunting
Unless you’re a gifted genius, no one is going to come knocking at your door to hand you your dream job. So instead, use your time to build up your CV: do some volunteering, take a language class, just generally try to make yourself even more employable – the kind of applicant employers just won’t be able to say no to. It’s not too late for work experience either – just because you’re still unsure of your next steps doesn’t mean you should spend your days in your pyjamas watching The Jeremy Kyle Show!
Getting back in touch with old friends
Just because you might have returned home doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of things. Some of your school and college friends might be in a similar situation, so get in touch with them, scrape what’s left of that student overdraft together and get yourself back to your local for a few. It’ll cheer you up, give you a reason to get up and get dressed and you’ll soon realise that sharing experiences and widening your social circle could help open some doors.
Keep in touch with uni friends
They’ve been a huge part of your life for an important chunk of your adult years so make the effort to stay in touch with them. Just because you might be on opposite ends of the country doesn’t mean you can’t meet in the middle, and social media makes it even easier these days to stay in contact. And try not to let statuses like “I’ve got the job!” put you off. Use that to motivate you – if they can do it so can you.
Travel
Now this could seem like an obvious one to many, “Travel around the world to find yourself,” but even a short European trip could help clear your mind and chase away those post-university blues. If you’re still not ready to let go of the university lifestyle, become a party rep in Spain or get involved with volunteering projects around the world. Taking a year out of your life to do something you really want won’t harm your future and it’s better to be doing something productive rather than nothing at all.
There are so many things you can do after university. The university years might be the best years of your life but at some point we’ll all have to step out of the university bubble and start living in the real world. I would say there is no need to rush into a job straight away, spend some time working out what you might want to do before you start working towards an enjoyable career!
What are your worries about finishing university? Could taking a year off be beneficial in the long term? Have your say in the comments section below.
