How to Tackle Post-Graduate Depression

Experiencing depressive symptoms after graduating from university is more common than you may think. Although post-graduate depression isn't diagnosed mental illness, it is certainly a phenomenon that many graduates face. 

While graduating university is supposed to be an exciting time, as you begin walking towards the exciting future ahead of you, more often than not, graduation isn’t all the cap-tossing fun it’s cracked up to be. Most students, by the time they graduate, have been in a form of education for at least 15 years. It becomes part of our identity. Then, to go from being in a stable form of education to suddenly being unemployed, it leads graduates to question their identity, what they want to do, and who they want to be.

Moving Home

It’s not uncommon for a student to move back home while they find their feet, but this can often feel like a huge step backwards from having so much independence at university. A transition is effectively a change in routine, so part of the stress graduates feel could come from changing in living arrangements, daily routines, and overall mindset. As a result, the stress of settling in at home can add to any existing job stresses you might have already. If you are struggling with moving home, why not try and formulate a solid routine over the next few weeks, speak to your parents about allowing you more independence or space, and remind yourself that it’s only a temporary situation. 

Career Prospects

Finding a job will always be tricky, and with everything that’s going on in the world you might feel as though it’s an impossible task, but it’s important to stay persistent and positive. You will have to come to terms with the prospect of lots of rejections, as unless you are extremely lucky, most graduates will have to face their fair share. Although going through rejection is inevitable, that doesn’t make it any less painful. Rejection evokes negative feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, and thoughts of “why aren’t I good enough?”. Yet, in such a competitive job-market, it’s so difficult to distinguish between different candidates, your rejection is nothing to take personally. Although it may take a toll on your self-esteem, try to learn from each rejection, and remember that there is a job out there for you somewhere – you just have to keep trying.

Be Open-Minded

It might also help to widen your horizons. Your job prospects might increase if you consider moving to a new city or looking at careers that aren’t exactly related to your degree. Any kind of experience is good experience, and although it might not be directly related to your degree, you have plenty of years ahead of you to progress into something that suits you more. Once you finally find a job, no matter what area it’s in, you’ll start to feel that sense of security again.

Landing the Dream Job

Although internships and graduate positions will reward you with the experience needed, most jobs will require more than the skills you have obtained on your university course. The chances are, your first job might not be as fulfilling as you hoped. Many graduates put an unnecessary and unattainable pressure on themselves to graduate and walk into their dream job. Of course, if you are amongst the fortunate few, this may be the case. For everybody else, this isn’t the case. A lot of the time there is a cooperate hierarchy, and graduates are expected to work their way up the food-chain before they land their dream job. This may seem daunting, but remember you have your whole life ahead of you to progress. In-fact, you might think you know what your dream job is, but you could end up working in a variety of different roles and finding more interest in something else. Be open minded.  

Comparing Yourself

One common problem graduates face is comparing their journey to someone else’s. Wherever you are in your life, you’re always going to be ahead of some, and behind others. If your best friend has got their dream job, and you’re questioning why the same hasn’t happened to you yet - be happy for them, because your time will come eventually. Seven billion people can’t do everything in the same order, there isn’t a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ time for anything. Everybody in the world works in their own time zone, and at their own pace, so don’t question why you haven’t landed on your feet yet and somebody else has, because your time will come eventually.

Speak to Your Friends

You should never be suffering in silence. Reaching out to your friends who are most likely going through a similar experience will really help. It will assure you that you’re not alone in feeling the way you do, and it will help to hear advice from friends about how they are handling their situation and keeping their mental well-being in check. There are also plenty of Facebook groups out there for post-graduates, that have formed supportive communities and provide a safe space for you to seek advice and read through some relatable content.

Expectations

You can’t expect to just magically turn into an adult over-night. It won’t all fall into place and plan out just as you wanted, these things will take time, and you have years ahead of you. You might begin in a job you hate just to get some experience and pay the bills, and that’s okay. Things might get even more confusing and scary as time goes on, but just embrace the idea that you’re on a journey, and it will all fall into place eventually.

Make Good Use of Your Time 

While you have this free time, use it wisely. Use it to explore your interests, and really consider the different options that are available to you. Maybe you might be better suited to doing a masters? Or maybe you have always wanted to go travelling? Use this extra time to your advantage; learn a new skill, or experiment with hobbies you’ve always wanted to try. You’d be surprised how many employers will credit your extracurriculars and who you are as a person, rather than just your degree. This will also help to fill your time in a positive and productive way, if you’re struggling with the lack of responsibility. 

Don't Worry What People Think

Every student is familiar with the dreaded question, “so, what are your plans after you graduate?”. Whether it’s small-talk at a family party or work colleagues at your part-time job, you can’t help but feel like you are being judged no matter what answer you give. You don’t need to have an answer, don’t succumb to the pressure to have a ‘plan’, sometimes there is dignity in not knowing and being honest. The world is your oyster, and you owe it to yourself to take as much time as you need to figure out what it is that you want to do. Equally, if you do give a specific answer to that question, don’t feel held accountable to that either. If you didn’t make it to where you wanted to be when you last spoke to your Aunt June at the family party, don’t feel ashamed about it. Most of us don’t even know what were having for dinner tomorrow, never mind the rest of our lives.

Enjoy Every Moment

Life isn’t a race against time. It’s difficult to come to terms with the fact that a beloved era of your life has ended, and the realisation that your finally entering adulthood can be quite daunting. When you’re 18, graduating university and getting a job seemed like a million miles away, and now that it’s finally here, it feels like life is moving too quick. There is no urgency. Try and push back against this feeling, appreciate every moment, and enjoy life’s forward motion. There is no pressure for you to be doing anything at any age, and equally, there is no one stopping you doing what you want to do either.