Hello, geese! As promised, welcome to another Help Me, Silly Goose post!
Silly Goose,
I graduate [college] in May and I’m getting nervous. Do I go to grad school? Should I look for jobs? I’m not sure where to start or how to sort out my emotions. Will I find a job? I have so much anxiety about it and it’s a bittersweet feeling. What if college didn’t prepare me for the next step in my life? Help!
Sincerely,
Graduating and Confused
Dear Graduating and Confused,
Thank you for reaching out. First things first, congratulations! Graduating college is an awesome accomplishment! Now to the helping portion, the part you’ve all been waiting for.
The first thing you want to do is sit down and write a pros and cons list for both going to grad school right away and jumping right into professional life. Unless you’re in a field where an advanced degree is necessary for employment, my suggestion is to get into the professional environment for your field first, then look into grad school. Building some experience can also help narrow down what you would want to get your masters degree in more specifically.
Next, you want to trust yourself and your education. You’re graduating for a reason, or several. Trust that you have not only gathered enough information to be successful, but also that you are prepared for whatever comes your way. College often teaches tenacity, so take advantage of that. You can do whatever you put your mind to, no matter how cliche that might sound. The human mind is a powerful tool, so trust yours and use it to succeed.
Finally, don’t compare yourself to other people who have graduated already or will graduate with you. Every single person with a college diploma is going to have a different, unique path to follow. No two people will have the same exact results upon graduation. Some of you will move halfway around the world to get experience in your field or simply experience living in another country. Some of you will move back to your hometown, find a job there, and stay around your family. Some of you will do something completely different from this. AND THAT’S OKAY!
I, myself, had a “not normal” college career and experience after graduation. I got down on myself more than once and had considered becoming a waste management worker because the pay is so high and my sense of smell is so awful. I could have done just that, and it would have made me a person who had an education and a high paying job. They don’t have to match (education and job), even if many will. I’m proud of my education and lean on what I learned a lot.
Overall, make sure you write down the pros and cons for your options (grad school and getting a job right after graduation, in your case), trust yourself and your education, and don’t compare yourself to others. I wish you all the best in making this decision and hope you feel more at peace with making a decision. Above all, congratulations on such an amazing accomplishment!! I’m sure you’ve worked very hard and deserve every bit of the recognition you’ll receive.
Honks and Hugs,
Silly Goose
Do you have advice for Graduating and Confused? Leave some words of wisdom in the comments!
Do you have a situation that Silly Goose can help with? Hop on over to the Contact page and send me a message! I’d love to help!
As always,
STAY SILLY
P.S. I hope you all enjoy the photo of my very studious cat in his glasses (aka my cat being forced into a Snapchat filter)
My Silly Goose 