Everyone tells you how hard leaving University is. You even fully expect it to be hard. But it turns out you can’t really comprehend the bizarre mixture of very real feelings you have when actually going through your first steps into the real world.
Leaving friends, the town or city you love, or starting an unfamiliar job in an unfamiliar place. Returning home to parents and reverting to your high-school self or moving away from your partner, all these changes prove so difficult and can often get on top of you.
No matter how many times people say ‘things will get better’, somehow during this transitioning period, these words, regardless of how kindly intended, mean very little. I’d normally give advice on how to cope or deal with this situation, however I am unsure myself as what to do. I am currently mid-way through the process, unable to decipher how my life will pan out, even in the foreseeable future. Many of you will know, this proves particularly difficult.
Despite successfully graduating with a 2:1 and getting a job straight out of university, the sudden loss of everything I was used to has, on more than one occasion, proved too much. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I am receiving, and glad that I can keep distracted with work. Not to mention the handful of close friends I can meet who are keeping me from going insane. However the feeling of being in limbo is refusing to shift.
Perhaps I will feel better once I have found a flat to live in, and met more people in London. Concentrating on my career progression and making the most of the weekends to see the people I love spending time with. I just have to remain positive and look forward to the adventure ahead!
If you are in a similar position, just remember you are not alone in this! If thousands of other graduates can do it, then so can we!
