The Great Graduate Job Hunt: Post Grad Blues

TheGreatGraduateJobHunt_PostgradBluesSo, Post Graduation Blues. Surely this is a myth? An overly-entitled millennial problem because finding a job is hard work? Perhaps you could be cynical and agree with the former statement. The days and weeks after any monumental occasional can feel deflated. Graduation and end of exams were big moments, I cried a lot, so perhaps any dose of reality would leave a bitter taste.

Except, as is often the case in our social media driven world, everyone spent their summer posting happy snaps online and yet explaining in person how difficult they’ve found this period. I’m guilty of it myself – I posted sunshine filled snaps of a trip to Croatia despite having spent the whole holiday desperately refreshing my emails while I awaited results from two interviews (I didn’t get either of the jobs, for the record).

This post is part of a series focusing on life after graduation, the inevitable job hunt involved, and the moods I didn’t quite expect. Don’t get me wrong – I spent a lot of my summer finally catching up with friends, eating food and celebrating what had been an incredibly hard final year. I (somehow) got a First class result and that in itself was a great excuse to drink cocktails or go shopping for weeks and weeks. But, in every catch up conversation with a fellow grad since we parted ways in July, it’s striking just how many of us experienced some Post Grad Blues. A funk or slump we didn’t see coming and couldn’t quite shake.

Some graduates will tell you they felt unnaturally tired. “It’s like the more I slept, the more I realised I hadn’t been sleeping properly for months – like I was catching up on the whole final year of sleep I needed”, said one friend. Others may feel directionless – “Masters? Grad Scheme? Run away to the wilderness and never look back?” joked another.

I relied heavily, throughout final year, on promising myself that after my final exam I could feel ‘normal’ again. And then, to my great sadness, I discovered it took weeks to regain any sort of balance. The first few days were a happy haze but I couldn’t help feeling like I’d slightly lost direction. I researched every career path you can imagine and yet still wasn’t sure what industry would be the right fit. I also spent the first few days after my last exam unable to make any decision – if my parents asked me what I wanted for dinner I’d practically burst into tears. Life immediately after graduation isn’t perfect – far from it – and it’s okay to admit we’re struggling.

Change of Routine

An article I read attributed Post Grad Blues to a change of routine. Is it really that simple? Well, University had a structure, a timetable dominated my week, and suddenly entering the realm of ‘not a student but not yet an adult’ felt very empty. My days had nothing other than ‘find a job’ and ‘walk the dog’ on my to do list. I didn’t have any money because I wasn’t yet working and yet a lot of my friends found employment more quickly than I did, so I felt a little like I was waiting for my amazing graduate life to start.

Of course, some of the changes were positive. My diet went from cheap wine and Aldi’s finest frozen goods to delicious, home-cooked meals. My sleep routine improved, and I actually started to drink enough water. Daily cuddles with a dog does wonders for your sanity.

Change of Environment

The change from living at university to living at home was as I expected – not exactly seamless. “It’s the little things you forget”, explained a friend. “Your best friend isn’t just across the corridor anymore, they’re suddenly bloody miles away”. For most graduates, life after university involves at least a short period of living at home, back with parents and siblings that you might not have lived with for a few years. It’s an adjustment which can be slightly harder than anticipated because you’re not just ‘back for the holidays’ or ‘back to study’ – you’re back for good.

I found it challenging that I went from living in Selly Oak’s finest area, with easy access to the wonderful city of Birmingham… to life in a village. It’s leafy and beautiful, but there’s absolutely nothing within walking distance. Without a car, life became a little stagnant. Thank goodness for online shopping. On another note, the dog barking totally gives it away when I try to sneak home in the early hours of the morning post gin drinking.

Change of Pressure

More than anything, I found myself wrestling with a tiny existential crisis each morning. Of course, this sounds totally dramatic, but it was probably due to a change in pressure. Rather than exams to prepare for, or deadlines to meet, my goals became huge, sweeping and seemingly impossible statements. ‘Get a job‘. ‘Choose a Career‘. Every moment spent not job hunting felt guilty, and yet all I wanted to do for a while was sleep and watch Netflix.

Is this universal?

Regardless of the reason, most graduates find graduating, moving back home and job hunting a slight shock to the system. Moving to University was scary for sure but there was advice, systems, and people in brightly coloured t-shirts showing you where to go for your first couple of days. Graduating felt a little like being pushed into the deep end and expecting to swim straight away. Of course, we probably make it worse for ourselves, because no one talks about how tough it can feel. I’m going to be brave and say it, to the Internet and mostly my Mum – life post-graduation was scary, difficult, and at times really draining.

Post-grad blues were a real issue for me, and it took a lot longer than I expected to feel like myself again. This blog post has sat in my drafts for months now, because I didn’t want to admit how much this affected me. It’s easier to be vulnerable retrospectively, but this is a conversation I’d like to be part of. Of course, a lot of laughter, sunshine and gin-drinking can help anything. The post-grad slump was unexpected, but luckily, it wasn’t too long before everything balanced out and life was brighter.

Why is talking about life post-graduation important? You can read my introduction post here. Stay tuned for the next bright and cheerful post in this series – Rejection and Negotiation.

14 thoughts on “The Great Graduate Job Hunt: Post Grad Blues

  1. Loving this series!! Even as someone who is past the graduate job hunt, it is still unnerving trying to look for another job. I have one now so it makes it less daunting but I don’t want to settle. You made an excellent point! Going to college is a crazy change but they have so many resources to help you get through it. But once you are out, it’s like you are supposed to know everything. And lawd, is that a lot to expect from post grads. I love this post. Can’t wait to see what you else you write!!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. This is such a well written post. It’s really interesting for me to read as I am an oldie who graduated a long time ago… I applied for jobs whilst doing my finals which was another level of stress but meant that I had a job already secured when I graduated. This isn’t always the best policy though as roll forward 9 years and I am now in the midst of a career change from that career I secured before leaving uni! It definitely pays not to rush into anything and give yourself time to adjust to post- University life. I am lecturing students now so reading posts like this is good to understand how they are feeling outside of the studying side. Thanks for sharing, Melis

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    1. Thank you for your lovely comment, Melis! It’s so interesting to see how everyone does it / how we all feel about this transition period. I’m sure you’re a very empathetic lecturer!! Xx

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  3. This is definitely real. I already had a student job during my studies, which then turned into contract work for two months and finally I am employed here. But those two months, when I was actually unemployed and not sure if I will get a job here or anywhere else while still working was really weird.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. This is so real. I am so happy that you finally decided to get this finished and posted. I know all too well what post-university blues are like and I know that it’s a universal thing now. All of this makes so much sense and I love you for being able to talk about it! Great post and I’m so excited for your next one x

    Liked by 1 person

  5. I am so glad you posted this as it was exactly how I felt after uni, none of my friends graduated (masters, years abroads, year in industry etc) so I felt so alone and nobody really understood what I was talking about. But I felt like I had completely regressed from being independent, in charge of my own workload to suddenly living off my parents and having absolutely no purpose. I feel like nobody prepares you for how you are going to feel after university and it should probably be talked about more because it is such a crazy life change.

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    1. Thank you do much for your comment! I agree, the sudden lack of independence came as a shock and the process of job hunting felt so passive – sending dozens of applications then having to wait for a response – so I agree it’s a challenge in itself. Xx

      Liked by 1 person

  6. This is great, so glad it’s being talked about. When I left university I went downhill fast, it’s like all of a sudden you lose your purpose, and I left uni having no idea what I wanted to do, so I kind of just applied for something that I thought I’d like. It took me 6 months to get a job! And guess what, it wasn’t even a grad job.. I feel like at uni you get the impression that as soon as you leave you’ll get the job of your dreams and sometimes that can happen, but for a lot of people it won’t and it really makes you feel upset and hopeless. I’m still at a stage where I’m no where near my dream job and I graduated over 2 years ago now. Thank you for sharing!

    Chloe xx
    http://www.chloechats.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much Chloe Jane for your lovely comment – there’s so much pressure whether you’re getting a job straight away or waiting for the right fit, whatever people do they worry it’s wrong! Xx

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  7. I love this! It feels like an absolute age since I graduated now (it was almost 2 years ago AHHH). It’s really important to talk about the different emotions that uni can actually bring – during and after.

    I went almost the opposite way, I worked through the whole of uni and then the day after my final assignment was handed in I started an industry job that I thought I just HAD to have… turns out it would be the most hated job I ever had (I wrote a blog post on my struggles). So although some students can feel that sense of dread and of having nothing to do, I realised that I should have enjoyed a few weeks of just breathing and sleeping haha. I quit that job, then found another but had a lush 1 month period of just having some me time and re-setting my brain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much for your comment Tilly!
      Really interesting to hear everyone else’s stories, I’m glad you had a chance for a break and then finally found a job you felt happy in – there’s so much pressure post graduation! Xx

      Liked by 1 person

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