Dealing with life after university…
By: Sarah Chebrolu
Tags: Lifehacks, Change, University, Graduation, Adulting

Life after university can be pretty daunting, especially, if you are unsure about what to do next. After being a student for most of your life and having timetables telling you what to do and where to go, it’s hard to be suddenly left alone without a proper plan.

For me, September 2018 brought big changes and proved particularly difficult. I had just graduated in July and also made a huge move with my family from London to Leeds. I was missing everything about my life at university, working on getting settled into a new city and trying to readjust to life at home as an adult.

So, if you are a recent graduate or someone going through major changes in your life, I really do sympathise with the uncertainty and fears that come with it. Here are some words of encouragement and advice which I hope you will find helpful. You are not alone.

1) Being positive and having gratitude

Gratitude has helped me heal from so much and adopt a fresh perspective in so many situations. It’s so important to reflect on all the things you have, rather than focus on what you don’t have. I understand that sometimes the situations in front of us seem overwhelming but you must remind yourself of the tough situations you’ve overcome in the past. I would urge you to make lists, meditate about the things you’re grateful for and remind yourself of the things you’ve achieved. It certainly helped me balance my thoughts and approach every problem with a positive attitude.

2) Figuring out what you want to do

Remember: It is okay to be unsure about what you want to do next.

Make a mind map or do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis on yourself. Go over things that you are good at, what you can improve on and for the opportunities section, you can note down the things that you’ve done and achieved in your previous professional experiences and how they might help you in the future. For threats, think of the things that hold you back, your fears and your practical limitations (money, location, etc). This will help you get a better picture of where you are currently and help you set yourself some personal goals and decide what you want to do next.

You could simply start by volunteering, working part-time (if you can), doing online courses and attending various free workshops/ events. Not only does this help you navigate your options but it also helps you stay proactive, recognise your interests and add to your experience.

Also, if you have many interests — it is not a bad thing. It doesn’t make you less focused or less ambitious. It is all the more reason to explore a range of things and indulge your curiosities.

3) Stop comparing yourself to others

This is something we all fall victim to at some point. It can be quite scary seeing people your age look like they have their lives figured out with ‘proper’ grad jobs and flashy five-year plans. However, you must remember that we all struggle with something and what ‘looks like’ is not often the same as ‘what is’. So, don’t become consumed by what others are doing. Also, if and when you do see people doing what they love and achieving things they’ve worked hard for, be inspired and wish them well! Seeing all my friends at different stages in their lives over the past year has taught me that there is no ‘right’ way of doing life and that it is normal to aspire to different things. It is entirely dependent on prioritising what matters to you and being led by instinct. So, go forth and live yours.

4) Habits and hobbies

When you suddenly go from routine to none at all, it is easy to become lazy or feel unmotivated. So, try to build some sort of a routine;

· Volunteering helps — gets you out of the house and do something meaningful with your time.

· Keeping fit is vital, so in whichever way you do this — make sure you get that heart rate pumping! I must confess, I am still working on doing this consistently and I’ve recently been dedicating ninety minutes every day to dancing in my room and honestly, it’s lit!

· Listen to podcasts, read and learn about what’s going on in the world — stay woke.

· MEDITATE — whether it’s prayer, silence or however you do it, it has definitely brought me peace and saved me from so much restlessness.

· Build hobbies — I’ve always loved to write, whether it’s poetry, spoken word or just a long rant about my day– so I decided to take it further and start blogging.

These may feel like small things but it all adds up and it has certainly helped me keep busy, avoid depressive episodes and just be myself.

Just keep calm and keep going ❤

These are just a few suggestions based on what has worked and is working for me. I hope that some of these tips help you on your journey. I would like to hear your stories and experiences about life after university, feel free to share.