Finishing an undergraduate degree can leave you with extremely mixed feelings. Pride over your achievements, heartbreak over leaving such a big part of your life behind, and anticipation over what will come next. Many students really struggle in the first year after graduating from their undergraduate degree. It can take a lot of adjusting to get used to what has been perhaps unkindly dubbed ‘the real world’, particularly when many students feel like university was the best reality they ever had. However, it’s not the end of the world, and there are lots of things you can do to make the ‘break-up’ with university life easier. Check out the advice below and start down the path of accepting that the end is only just the beginning!
Let Yourself Mourn
The first step in accepting the loss of your life at university is to let yourself grieve. Give yourself a chance to feel how you’re feeling. University is one of the most pivotal stages of your life, and it deserves a few tears on ending it. The last couple of years in particular have been especially difficult, since students haven’t been able to have a proper send-off with a graduation ceremony. It’s worth having a small celebration of your own if you haven’t already, so that you and your friends can acknowledge the time you have spent together. Even if it’s just watching a movie together with tissues and ice-cream! It’s important to get the closure of finishing your degree so that you can accept that it’s over.
Get Busy
Get yourself a job, immerse yourself in hobbies, start volunteering. Distracting yourself is an excellent way of getting through the first few months after graduating. It can be a real struggle to cope with ending life at university if you are sat on the sofa at home doing nothing except thinking about it all. Even if you’ve got the TV on, your mind will still be turning things over in the background. Sometimes physical activities work the best for distraction, as you aren’t thinking about anything else except what you’re doing.
Keep in Touch
When you’re feeling miserable about something ending, it can be tempting to (as with any break-up) cut off all contact with your life from university. Whether this is as small as unfollowing university pages on social media, or as big as cutting off friends and acquaintances, it’s not a good idea. Keeping in touch with your university life can serve as a helpful reminder of your time there, and make you feel that you are still a part of the Warwick community. Don’t forget to join the Warwick alumni and friends community if you haven’t already!
Reflect Kindly
When you can’t help yourself but think about your time at university coming to an end, remember to think about it kindly. Instead of being sad that it’s over, try thinking about how much it has benefitted your life and added to the person you are today. You wouldn’t be you without your university experience, and now it has set you up for a great future ahead.
Talk to Someone
If you’re really struggling to cope with the post-graduation blues, please do not hesitate to talk to someone about it. Whether it is a friend, family member, or even a professional, getting your feelings off your chest can be extremely beneficial. These first few months will be emotional, raw and a bit confusing, so it’s really important that you make sure you have a good support network around you. Do remember that you aren’t alone; this happens to so many students every year. Talk to your friends from university, and you will likely discover that they are going through the exact same process. Make sure to care for and support each other. It will get better!
Rebecca Preedy
Struggling with post-graduation blues? Tweet us at @warwicklibrary, email us at libraryblogs@warwick.ac.uk, or leave a comment below.
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