Dear Future, I Don’t Think I’m Ready.

These last couple of months I have come to hate, absolutely entirely hate, the phrase, “what’s next?” As a recent graduate, nothing gives me more anxiety than when family, friends, or even strangers ask me that simple two-word question. Why? Because I feel like no matter what my answer is, it will never be good enough for societal standards. Life after college has been filled with personal growing pains.

My worth went from being rated on a 4.0 GPA scale to now rated on my yearly income. Society has created a social timeframe for early twenty-year-olds and it is very hard for me to not compare myself to it. For example, once you graduate college you are immediately supposed to get a full-time job, at least that is what society tells you. But what if I hate the concept of working a 40 hour workweek? What if I want to continue my education and go to a graduate program? What if I want to start a family? What if I want to travel?

I've had a hard time opening up and being honest about these past couple of months post-graduation. However, If you are feeling this way too, just remember your fellow college graduates feel the same way. Below are some worthy statements from recent graduates that make me feel less alone when it comes to navigating post-graduate life.

“Life after college was the exact opposite than what I had expected. I thought I’d have a great job making money, moving into an apartment in a different city and living life to the fullest. The exact opposite is true. I see other peers doing what I thought I would be doing and it makes me feel like I am behind in life. There are days where I wish I didn't graduate college just so I do not have the added pressure to have a “what’s next” plan. The stress of this new chapter in life can feel overwhelming.” - Graduate of Winona State University ‘21

“Reality hit me well before I finished college because of me not knowing what I wanted to have a career in. My expectations of what I thought my life was going to be after college were completely different from reality. What I did learn from life after school is that the way of learning is through experience, and not a single textbook can teach you that.” - Graduate of University of Milwaukee ‘20

“I didn’t expect to feel a wall of reality once I graduated college. The reality of a full-time job was what I anticipated after college, but being treated as though I'm not new to the work field/process is something I wish I would've experienced in college. It’s the subtle changes that are the hardest to adjust to.” -Graduate of Concordia University of Wisconsin ‘21

One thing that has helped me cope with the anxiety after graduation is reminding myself that these personal growing pains aren’t forever and that most people my age are also coping with and going through the same challenges.

Lastly, please don’t ask a recent college graduate the question “what's next?” we might turn vicious and bite.

Warmest Regards,

Maggie Paulus