Life after College | How to Deal with Post-Grad Blues

You may have seen my Job Hunt Advice and Thoughts post where I relayed to you the difficulty I found in finding a job after college. Something I did not realize was there was a much bigger challenge after college.

I thought the job hunt was the biggest obstacle I would face as someone transitioning to adult life, but no one prepared me for the copious amount of change that gets brought on when you move into a new chapter. After speaking with my friends, everyone has experienced the post-grad blues to some extent. 

Friendships

No one talks about how lonely being an adult can be. Sure, social media connects us, but who is going to do hot yoga with me or run to TJ Maxx for quick retail therapy? It's tough as both high school and college friends (or you) start moving away from the areas that once kept everyone so in touch. 

At one point, I had 6 people moved or were planning on moving in the last few years. This has made me feel loss like no other. I am so happy for them, but between this and realizing some friendships shouldn't last, I felt like my friendship bucket was running out. 

So, you might be feeling the same way and questioning, how do we combat this? Here are some tips that I have been working on.

1. Understand not all friendships have to last forever - This is something I'm working on. Sometimes you outgrow people or they outgrow you. It's okay not to hang on by a thread and just ease out of it.
2. Strengthen current friendships - Try to reach out to the girlies you've always wanted to be closer friends with. Go out of your way to make plans with your girlfriends, even if it is way in advance. 
3. Use social media - I use Bumble Bff and ATL Girl Gang for meet ups. 
4. Find a hobby - Find people who have similar interests and use that to meet up! There are a lot of local clubs that can. 

Saving Money & Investing

I have learned some my friends are not good at is saving money. But time and time again, there always comes a situation where a little cushion of savings can really help. I am no money guru by any means (although my husband is so it helps), but below are my biggest tips for investing in your future. 

1. Invest in your retirement. If your job offers a 401k match, you absolutely should be maxing out that plan. Your company is essentially providing free money for your retirement! If they don't offer a match, still do monthly contributions because your early twenties is the foundation for a comfortable retirement. 
2. Set up your paycheck for automatic transfers to savings. This way, you don't have to think about saving and you are working with a set budget based off of what you do not save. 
3. Look into stocks and trading if you want to grow your money. YouTube is a great starting place for learning more. As I mentioned, my husband is great with finance and investing so I am a bit biased, but this truly is a great way to build wealth overtime. 
4. Live at home if you can. Of course, this isn't an option for everyone and comes at a great privilege, but if you are able to live at home for 3-12 months, you can save money for future rent, future home-buying, or emergency savings. I was able to save over $20k by living with my parents for my first year out of college. 

Less Free Time

This one HURT when I first started out. I was working a 7:30-4:00 job and commuted an hour each way. I felt like my life was slipping away. I hated the daily grind and resented my job for taking away my precious hours. 

The only positive from COVID was I found myself a fully remote job that has remained remote. But before this, I had three ways of coping with being shut in the dull beige walls of my office.

1. Get outside during the day. I hated being inside on a sunny day, so I found an excuse to eat my lunch outside or take a walk during the work day. If it didn't get the chance during work, I would take a walk after dinner. Fresh air soothes the soul.
2. Stop using your free time to scroll TikTok or Instagram. You spending all your time watching other people live their lives is sure to cause some angst. Limit your social media time and find a hobby beyond the phone screen!
3. Make plans on weeknights. You could grab dinner with a friend, go to a happy hour, or make it a point to take a walk after work. I read that time passes quicker when we are stuck in a monotonous schedule. The more you do that changes up you week, the less time feels like it slips away.

If you have a job that feels like it is sucking the life out of you, there is no reason for you to stay there. Life is too short to be loyal to a company that would lay you off the minute they needed to. In a world of remote and hybrid jobs, find something that allows you to exist beyond your 9-5!

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I began writing this article in 2021, 3 years post-grad. At the time, I was still adjusting to a new life and life with COVID, which took away my young twenties. I felt I had perspective, but there was still a sad twinge of a life that once was and could be.

I am going to be 5 years out of college this spring, and I have to tell you, I love who I am now and the life I have created more than the one I had in college. Sure, it is a bit more difficult to see my friends and yes, I do have a 9-5, but I have found ways to make my life happy and fulfilled.