“I’m depressed after graduation”, “I’m lost after graduation”, “Post grad life is depressing,”.
The transition from student to the “real world” is awkward and miserable. It can be easy to fall into a depression after graduating college or high school. You’ve probably read these a million times, but it’s important to acknowledge the biggest, most obvious reasons why.
- Your routine of 12-16+ years has been interrupted and no one is telling you to get up anymore. You are in charge now. Nothing is mandatory. Now all that is left on our hands is hours upon hours.
- Your social circle immediately shrinks, and you quickly become isolated. School catapults you into a sea of faces and voices. It’s so incredibly quiet when you no longer attend. We may not have liked everyone, but the distant company gave us the oxytocin boost we needed without even knowing.
- You don’t have any major milestones to look forward to now. Now that you don’t see the world in semesters and seasonal breaks, time looks like a bottomless pit.
- You may not have a job, a circle of friends, or a relationship. You may not have any the main things that make life more bearable- money, friends and family, and love.
To get any relief at all, you’re going to have do the opposite!
- Create a routine! The first step is to set a time get up and respect yourself enough to be consistent. You need a schedule, but it’s no use having one if you won’t fulfill it.
- Get out of the house! You need to get out of the house, even if it’s just going to the grocery store and getting a candy bar. Remain in touch with the public and try to leave the house every day for at least two hours.
- Set short- and long-term goals! Humans need purpose. If you don’t a reason to get out of bed every day- you won’t! Aim high! Small incentives are not enough to get out of bed.
- Commit to your current relationships and form new ones! Life feels way more fulfilling with people in it. Plan dinners, days at the park, or days out shopping with friends and family. Improve your relationship with your coworkers or boss if you’re in a long-term position.
- Get to know God! There is a deep profound need in humans to connect with God. Some ignore it and others do not. Without God, the unexplainable void in us will eat at us, and the above tips will be useless.
Live your life with intention, and bring that same discipline, and consistency to your new chapter and you did your last! Don’t continue to repeat “I’m depressed after graduation” to anyone who will listen or even quietly to yourself. Be careful not to make a vocabulary of hopelessness your primary language. You need you! So be there for yourself. Implement some commonsense tactics- routine, intimacy, and goal setting. You don’t have to remain depressed after graduation.