Before really getting into everything post-grad blues, let me first say what’s good? What’s been going on!
I hope you all have been doing great as we approach the six month of the year! In the comments below, tell me one thing you’re excited to do this summer? (talk to me cause I sure do answer). For me, I’m excited about my 24th birthday coming up soon (June 22nd)!
Anyways, with us being in graduation season, I thought it was the perfect time to talk about my struggle with post grad blues and how I beat it, so I can encourage anyone that may be experiencing the same struggle.
You might be wondering what exactly is post-grad blues? Maybe you were like me and had never heard of post-grad blues but knew something felt off about you when, instead of truly celebrating getting your degree and transitioning into a new stage of life, you felt extremely sad to the point of having no motivation to really want to do any adulting. Let’s talk about it!
What is Post-Grad Blues
Post-grad blues also known as Post-Grad Depression has not been officially diagnosed, but it is an overwhelming feeling of sadness or anxiety due to pressure to get a job and figure out your next moves. Also, Post-grad depression can include a feeling of loss due to changes like leaving college life and the opportunity to having your friends in close proximity all behind.
Symptoms of Post-Grad Blues
For me, I felt so sad seeing everyone move out the last week before graduating and then on top of that, I was also anxious about what I would be doing next. I hated the question, “what are you going to do next?” so much because it reminded me that I wasn’t sure about my future and scared me big time.
On top of the uncertainty of my future, all my friends were headed in different directions. My friends that were once a couple of feet away on campus were now hundreds to thousands of miles away, and I missed being so physically close.
Also, my mind was constantly racing, and scrolling on Instagram and seeing post after post of my classmates appearing to have it all figured out as they made their announcements about pursuing their master’s degree, moving on their own and getting jobs/careers within their desired feel did not help at all. I was down bad and didn’t know what to do. I was always the kind of person to have control of things and plan out my next moves and for once in my life, I really had no idea what was coming next.
College Bubble Popped, Adulting Sucks!
After graduating, I moved back home and those feelings of loss and anxiety got stronger. I felt like I failed and the perfectionist in me couldn’t handle it. As I searched for a job and waited patiently, nothing seemed to be working in my favor. During this time, I was constantly stressed out and that affected my appetite along with my sleep habits. I end up losing 7-10lbs from not eating. Eventually, I got a job to make ends meet, but felt miserable working in such a toxic work environment.
With all that I was feeling, I just wanted to know why I was feeling this way, so I randomly googled for answers.
It wasn’t until I found a blog article talking about post-grad blues that described EXACTLY how I was feeling as a new grad that I learned what post-grad blues was and how to work to overcome it.
I began to realize my feelings were valid and normal and from there, I worked to get pass the feeling. Here are my five tips for overcoming post-grad blues:
5 Tips for Overcoming Post Grad Blues
- Keep a routine and set aside some time for self-care. By the time we graduate college, we have spent the majority of our lives in school and living in a daily routine. Going from having a routine that kept me preoccupied and feeling accomplished to not doing much of anything made me feel depressed. Instead of completely doing away with a routine, I learned to create a new routine.
- Explore your passion and interests along with learn new skills. As I transitioned into my new norm, my mom advised me to explore myself more and see what my interests and passions were outside of Ekaila, the student. That was some of the best advice I’ve gotten because I have learned there’s so much more to me than just academics. To name a few, I love writing/blogging, content creating and graphic designing, traveling and making memories, and fashion even more now! Before having this time, I didn’t take enough time to truly get to know myself.
- Stay connected with your college homies. If you’re rocking with some real ones, don’t allow distance to kill your friendship. My friends and I are always hit each other up and checking on each other. We also have planned trips such as our trip to Las Vegas in March, and we definitely plan on more trips. Take the time to water your friendships.
- Show your body some love through exercising. Exercising regularly was one of the BEST decisions I have ever made. Not only have I been able to work on myself physically, but exercising allows me to work on myself mentally as well. Between going to the gym and working out at home, exercise helps my productivity flow. Be sure to get your body moving. Don’t allow post-grad blues to keep you from getting right.
- Seek Therapy/ counseling. Once I got a therapist, I was able to get out my own head and figure out ways to cope with change and move forward. My therapist at the time suggested the book, Don’t Touch My Cheese, and it was a great read. I highly recommend it! Therapy has allowed me to explore my feelings and thoughts, work on coping strategies, and work on my self-awareness and in turn continue my personal journey of growth. Please find someone you can talk to about how you are feeling. I can’t stress this enough.
Lastly, please understand that you are not alone, and you must give yourself grace. You are right where you need to be in this moment.
If you ever need anyone to talk to about how you’re feeling, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here for you fr!
With Love,
