Graduation seems to come with a phenomenon where everything becomes that much more real. The “real” world is in sight. “Real” problems appear, and “real” decisions have to be made. And honestly, all of that realness can be intimidating and overwhelming, as it’s incredibly difficult to make so many decisions that affect your future all at once. And in the inevitable moment where it feels like these worries are consuming you, that’s where taking time for yourself comes in.
I know this is easier said than done, and sometimes, it’s hard to even picture what time for yourself looks like. But it’s actually a lot less complicated than it seems. Taking time for yourself could actually be anything. You just have to make sure you let go of whatever’s on your mind for a bit and do something that makes you genuinely happy. That could mean going on a trip and seeing your friends or even something smaller like trying to go out in nature more or starting a hobby you’ve always wanted to try.
The point is you need a break from trying to figure everything out at once, and even though all the problems might seem pressing, nothing is more time-pertinent than your mental health. And the important thing to keep in mind is that the commitments will never stop. There will always be something on your plate, and especially after the hard work you put into college, you don’t want to turn that exhaustion into burnout and carry it with you into your future. It will only hurt you in the long run.
Not only will taking time for yourself allow you to dedicate yourself more to the commitments you have, but it could also spark more creativity and innovation. Giving yourself a break can make you more concentrated because you know there’s an end in sight to all the work you have to do. It’s tempting to dive in head-first, but you have to give yourself time to even define what success means to you, which is more foolproof than blindly trying to tackle everything at once.
The moral of the story is you’ve worked hard. You’ve earned not only a degree but also the opportunity to do what can and will make you happy. Because life after graduation is something you have a lot more freedom in constructing, you have to make the effort to do what is best for you.
You have to take the initiative, and honestly, that is the “realest” lesson of them all.