Congratulations, you did it! Despite what felt like the longest four years of your life, you have graduated high school and decided to spend another four years learning. You could have chosen to begin at your local community college, figuring out what profession you want to enter into and then transfer, you could have applied to a four-year institution, or you could have decided to enter right into work life. So you choose to further your education and all of a sudden, you have a list in your hand of things you need for school, you get to decorate your own room, and you get to experience what you believe freedom looks like. BOOM! It's as if you're away at summer camp for young adults. You create routines, call your parents, and have your laundry done and the luxury to plan your weekends all at the same time.
Fast forward to graduation, do you find employment right away? Do you apply to graduate school? Do you flee the country and travel the world? Well, I had all three in mind. Ultimately, I decided to apply to graduate school because I knew that the only reasonable way to succeed in my chosen profession (Mental Health Counseling) was to further my education. So, I moved back to my childhood home to begin my graduate work the following semester. Some may think this was easy, I get to reap the benefits of being a college student and live rent-free in my childhood home. It wasn't, I was also recreating routines, as I now share my space with others, creating new friendships because my hometown seemed empty with previously familiar faces, and commuting to school 1 hour each way, every day. Was it a tough transition? Um, yes! However, the indisputable aspect of completing my graduate work was that I endured some of the greatest experiences and hardships I had ever before, and I was okay with that. Crammed into 3 years, I now not only had to obtain employment, but I began observing how different the world looked like an early twenty-something-year-old.
One hardship I discovered towards the end of graduate school was having this false idea that because I would soon hold a Masters Degree, my chances of obtaining a job would be greater than most. Looks like the joke was on me. Sure, the unemployment rate in 2014 was 3.2%, among those holding a Bachelor's Degree or higher, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (2017), however, I applied to numerous jobs, went on various interviews, all to come up short. Companies were seeking out an employee with a higher level of education, specific credentials, and experience. How does one meet the demands of some qualifications, but can't achieve another because the opportunity door remains shut? In the meantime, this whole idea of "adulting" became real, really real. I remember the first wave of panic setting in, pondering how I would begin paying off my student loans when I would earn enough money to move out when I would get married, and start a family.
To fill up my free time in between interviews, I volunteered, went to workshops, babysat, but still… no job that would let me begin making my mark on the world. The thoughts of self-doubt crept in, "did I make the right career choice?" "Why did I even go to graduate school?". About one year later, in the midst of it all, EUREKA I am employed!
The clouds shifted, the sun appeared, and I was finally equipped to begin my mark. Something I deemed profound about my mental health during this time was, although self-doubt and discouragement set in, I knew in the bottom of my heart that the journey I just endured was supposed to happen. Regardless of the negative thoughts (that's all they are, just thoughts) flooding my mind for a short period of time, I knew I was supposed to be right where I was meant to be.
Early adulthood is no joke. Your mental health is no joke. The idea of social construct plays heavily into the notion of what is expected of you after graduating. A basic definition of social construct includes expectations and ideas that are accepted by others. As expectations begin to grow, one may feel they are not living up to such expectations, further attributing to low self-esteem, doubt, and failure. Try not to compare yourself to others around you, as someone next to you is on a different journey. Understand and get to know your attributes, your progress areas, and most importantly, yourself. Take a deep breath, be present, create small goals, take your time, reflect, and never ever hesitate to ask for help. Your dreams will happen, even when they come dressed in disguises. One disguise may be a lesson to promote growth, readiness, and patience.
