As the spring semester starts winding down, there is a haze of anxiety that fills Storrs — what is going to happen after graduation? Upperclassmen scramble for internships and jobs, and it feels like everyone else is a step ahead of you. You are not alone in these feelings, and I want to reassure you that there is no need to have your life planned out step by step at 21 years old.
I confess, I’ve been feeling this post-grad anxiety pretty intensely, so I decided to see what others felt on the subject, and the results were comforting. We are all in this together. No one is that much further along or behind you in figuring out their next stage of life, and at the end of the day this should be exciting! The main grievances about the future that I found across the board were centered around preparedness and future happiness. However, at the same time, students do feel that UConn has given them the tools to step into the next stage of life, so this fear of preparedness is simply the gnawing anxiety of the unknown. The future is unpredictable, and if we are all feeling this way with the same concerns, then maybe we are more prepared than we realize.
It is imperative that you give yourself some grace during this transitional time. We have our whole lives ahead of us with plenty of time to be successful. To ease your mind, college graduates aged 25 to 34 have an employment rate of 86% and are making around $55,260 a year on average. There is hope for us yet. That being said, we are entering this gray area of not being in school anymore, and not having an established career yet — so during this in-between there are infinite possibilities and ways to get a jumpstart on your dream life. Therefore, while we hunt and scavenge LinkedIn for the next opportunity, what are some productive uses of this time between your career and graduation so that you can start this new chapter of life on the right foot, and limit this anxiety?
Travel
Take the trip you always wanted to go on, backpack across Europe, or more cost-effectively, drive cross country — you’ll never have this much free time again. Unemployment does make funding this endeavor a little tricky, but there are many easy and affordable ways to see the world. For example, choose a hostel over a hotel, or register for one of the sites where you can house-sit for people in exchange for a free place to stay. If you haven’t had the opportunity to travel yet, this is the perfect time to go on an adventure. There is no right way to do this either, no set time limit or itinerary. It is completely up to you, and this could be something really exciting to look forward to after walking across the stage in Gampel.
Start a passion project
We all have dreams that we’ve put off because we don’t have enough time, or they will take too much effort and we are already stretched thin from classes. Well, now is your chance, no excuses! Learning a new skill or hobby will also help with your anxiety during this time, and provide a fun distraction and comfort to your mind. There are so many cool things to learn. For example, you could try up-cycling furniture from GoodWill, or buy an old surfboard from Facebook Marketplace and give that a go — the possibilities are really endless. From this you will discover that you are capable of so much, and it might give you a little more confidence going into your career, and also a fun anecdote when getting to know your new co-workers.
Create a business
This one is for all my entrepreneurial ladies. If you want to be an influencer, start that account, write that blog, and be that girl if that’s what you want. There is nothing holding you back anymore, so you might as well give it a shot, and maybe make a little money at the same time. More than that, you could actually make a small business through Etsy or Depop and sell your creations — maybe they are the products of your passion project. If you have a skill that can be more than just a hobby, why not take a little time to see if you can do what you love as a side hustle, which could one day become your main hustle?
go back to school
So you are still a little unsure about what direction you want to take after graduation, well there is a solution: more school! This can look like a plethora of things, such as getting a master’s, going to law school, or just taking some classes at your local community college. Undergrad is not the end of the road in terms of education, you can always go back to school, and there are ways of doing it that are affordable and interesting. Just taking classes for the sake of missing the classroom environment is enough of a reason to register for a course.
Pat yourself on the back
You did it! Be proud of yourself, this is a huge accomplishment. You have taken countless exams and spent countless hours in Homer Babbidge to get to this point, so take a moment to let it sink in.
We are all on this journey, and it might be daunting, but just know that the girl next to you in Finance is feeling the exact same way. Who knows what the future holds? But rather than wait in a panic for the next opportunity, embrace this time to challenge and enjoy yourself. Have trust in the fact that you have worked so hard for this degree, and will make good use of it as long as you set your mind to it. We got a taste of freedom throughout our time here at UConn, but we are now stepping into this even greater sense of freedom, and the possibilities are endless. Don’t worry about having a job lined up for the second you graduate, because from what it looks like, most grads don’t have it all figured out, so you are not alone. Good luck to the class of 2023 — good things are headed your way.