Now What?

You’ve graduated! What a great feeling it is to be free of homework and exams. You have your degree and you’re ready to take on the world…

Funny thing about school - it acts as a sort of container for our lives. We have a set schedule and timeline laid out for us. The assignments we must complete are clear and they each hold a purpose. There’s even a grading system in place to reflect our level of success. 

We are often unaware of the safe and predictable nature of school until we are shoved head first into the real world. After the high of graduation subsides we become faced with the question… now what?

Whether or not you graduate with a clear plan of action, leaving school and entering the “real world" is a huge transition. Many of us wake up realizing that life is nothing like we thought it would be. 

When we are feeling stuck, afraid, confused or incompetent, it is easy to turn the blame inward. We decide that it must be our fault that we are not living up to our own expectations. But this is a crucial mistake. It takes patience and practice to master anything in life, and becoming an adult is no different! 

As you take your first steps into post grad independence, expect it to be a trial and error process. Remember that you must make mistakes in order to learn. Understand that backing out and changing course does not make you a failure. Try to be curious about what each experience can teach you and growth will be inevitable! 

What is (or was) your biggest challenge during the transition out of school? I would love to hear your stories in the comments below!