LINK TO MY ARTICLE, ” I GOT THE POST-GRAD BLUES” : http://xpressmagazine.org/2018/07/24/i-got-the-post-grad-blues/

I’m the kind of girl that always needs some sort of plan. I need to know what’s going to happen in the future, and plan out every aspect of my life because I’m terrified of not knowing.

I’m graduating this December, and saying I’m stressed out and filled with anxiety would be an understatement. Seriously, I think about my post-grad life so much that I’m already planning for my future meltdowns 😓. I’ve spent basically my whole life as a student – it’s all I know. So I know once I graduate it’ll be a huge transition, and I honestly don’t know what to expect and won’t know how to handle it until I get to that point.

Obviously, graduating has been on my mind heavy since my day is coming very soon. And since I’m naturally a curious worrier, I decided to write about alumni and their experiences with post-grad depression. It’s one of those topics that don’t get talked about often, but in reality, a lot of people struggle with life after graduation. The day they’ve been dreaming about is finally over. But what happens after receiving the diploma? They feel stagnant, they’re thrown out into the real world, and can’t help but compare themselves to their peers that seem to be ahead in the game. Talking to alumni AND a professor that have gone through the “post-grad blues,” really made me realize that everyone adjusts differently, but in the end, we all have our own paths and journeys that we have to go through. Change is scary. Life after graduation is scary. But talking about it, mentally preparing / being realistic, not comparing yourself to others and their accomplishments, and realizing that these emotions are NORMAL will help get you through it.