How To Cope With Graduate Blues
If you’ve been to university, you’ll probably know all about the massive relief that you have when you graduate. Never having to worry about all of those assignments again and celebrating the fact that you’ll never have to study for another exam. However, when you leave university there are a whole host of issues that may cause mental anquish. In this article we look at what Graduate Depression Is and how you can cope with it.
If you’ve been to university, you’ll probably know all about the massive relief that you have when you graduate. Never having to worry about all of those assignments again and celebrating the fact that you’ll never have to study for another exam. The lead up to this moment takes years and for some it is great – they get their dream job right away and move off to a great new city. Others feel a sudden loss in their life as they say goodbye to the education system that they have been a part of since they were very young.
More recently, graduate depression has been becoming more recognised across the world. In this article, we are going to talk about what graduate depression is, how it affects you and how you can cope with it.
What Is Graduate Depression?
The graduate blues are a form of depression after graduating from university or college. This happens for many reasons. Some people get depressed because they are forced to move back home with their parents. This often means that they far away from their friends that they have spent the last few years with and it can seem like they may never see them again. Others are suddenly faced with a lack of freedom that they have had whilst at university. Their parents want to know where they are going and when they’ll be back. This can change the state of mind of these graduates whose lives are totally empty from structure.
Another reason for graduate blues is the rejection from job applications. Despite having a degree, graduates often find it difficult to find employment in the first year because of the number of candidates applying for the same jobs. It can be very disheartening to hear rejection after rejection, especially when your friends are getting their dream jobs and leaving you behind. Read our tips carefully to beat your depression.
How to beat the depression
It is important to understand that you are not alone in the struggle to get a graduate job. Many people are in the same boat and talking to your friends about how you’re feeling is a great way of getting to grips with what’s going on.
If you don’t want to confide in someone that you know, consider talking to an online therapist specializing in depression. This can help with letting go of the burden and being proactive rather than staying indoors and feeling sorry for yourself.
A final way that can help is to take some time off. If you can fill your time with some work experience or a relevant internship then you should go for it, but if you are finding that the rejections are getting harder – wait a few weeks before you apply for the next one. Sometimes your mental health is more important that making your parents proud and posting all about your new job on Facebook.
Make sure you don’t ignore your depression and improve your mental health now!