I’ve recently felt inclined to begin writing on here again with the changes that have inevitably been happening in my life. I graduated college one semester early, three months ago in December, yet spring graduation of my friends and what comes with this “g-word” seems like an ominous finish over an otherwise incredible year.

Like we all know, after elementary school comes middle school, then high school, and then college for some of us. As you approach receiving that paper diploma from your university, you can’t help but ask yourself what happens next? Throughout this post I hope to explore some ways I have been navigating the spring leading up to graduation to allow myself to feel all the feels while keeping myself emotionally in check.

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Recognize You’re in Limbo

If you feel like you have no clue what you are going to do with your life or more importantly your time, that is completely normal. For the first time ever, you are about to have absolutely no one to tell you what to do.

There won’t be a student organization to let you know there’s a mandatory gathering tonight with 30 of your acquaintances. No professor to tell you how you will spend 9-11 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays for the next four months. It makes complete sense why this lack of structure may come with feelings of anxiety and uncertainty.

Rather than hating yourself for not knowing what to do next, recognize this time as a chapter of your life to try something new. I’m trying to figure out how to spend my time just as much as you are, and this podcast by Mel Robbins is a great place to start.

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Force Yourself to Write it Down

Try to remember what you ate for breakfast yesterday morning…I’ll wait. Our brains are so go-go-go, it can be hard for us to think about what we did last weekend, let alone 10 years ago.

It can be as easy as writing a few sentences a day or jotting down what happened after a silly night out. Buy this $10 journal so you can easily revisit all the memories from binging movies on the couch to the night you tried a new happy hour which ended up being one of the best nights of college. You don’t want to miss any of this; I promise!

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Que “Happy and Sad” by Kacey Musgraves

As post-grad humans start to mold their dream lives by applying to jobs, moving to new cities, deciding to spend your life with someone, or selecting an exciting graduate program, you may find yourself feeling mad at yourself for skipping ahead to daydreaming of the future instead of enjoying the present moment.

Remember, feeling excited about your future and mourning the shift from college to the real world are not mutually exclusive feelings. Do not feel guilty for feeling excited about your next challenge because you should be! You worked hard.

Try to recognize that you may feel ready for a change, but it doesn’t make closing this chapter any easier.

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I try to reframe my mind by using these tips, and I hope at least one of them helps shift yourself into a more grateful and realistic mindset. Everyday I try to allow myself to feel the fears and excitement of the future while recognizing how special and fleeting this time is. I hope you do too.

You’re the best,

Ainsley