What To Do When Your Post-Grad Life Isn’t Going According to Plan

By Victoria Robertson on January 27, 2018

Graduating from college is something we look forward to from the very beginning. We can’t wait for that post-grad life! Visions of walking across that graduation stage, picking up your diploma, and turning to your friends and family to say, “I did it.”

Of course, none of this prepares you for what comes after. So what are you supposed to do when your post-grad life isn’t going according to plan? Your vision doesn’t necessarily reflect reality, and, more often than not, you’re going to find yourself in a completely different position than you thought you would be in.

So, to help you to figure out what to do when things aren’t going your way, here are six things to do when your post-grad life isn’t going to plan.

via Pexels.com

1. Relax

The first and most important thing to do when your post-grad life isn’t going to plan is to relax. Stop stressing out about it. Check yourself, sit down and breathe for a few minutes. Life is too short to spend it stressing about things you can’t control.

You may not be where you thought you would be, but that doesn’t mean anything. There are very few people that would tell you they are exactly where they thought they would be upon graduating from college. So step back and relax before moving forward.

2. Visualize Your Dream

It’s always a good idea to have a vision board. Where do you see yourself in five years? What about one year from now? Putting those ideas out into the universe not only increases the odds of you achieving those goals (as you have a constant reminder to encourage you to work harder towards them), but it also provides you some sort of comfort in that you know what you’re working towards, even if you aren’t there now.

When you’re living the post-grad life, you are working towards something. So put that vision out there, take a look at it daily and remind yourself that there are stepping stones to getting there, but you definitely will.

3. Visualize Your Reality

When you’re post-grad, your reality likely isn’t what you pictured. That being said, it’s important to understand and really visualize your reality in order to see the bigger picture.

Are you in a temp position now? Or working as an intern? How is this benefitting you? Are you building a resume, or simply filling time? Take a look at your current situation and determine whether or not it’s feeding into your overall goals. If not, start exploring different avenues that are more in line with your goals. If so, find comfort in knowing you aren’t mindlessly working towards nothing, but that you’re gaining experience in order to achieve that overarching goal.

4. Plan Your Route

That being said, when you’re taking a look at your reality, make sure you’re also taking into account what steps you need to take in order to achieve your dreams.

What jobs will help you to get there? Do you need any additional degrees or certifications? Can you pick up extra jobs on the side? Consider every detail of your goal and make sure you’re optimizing your opportunities to achieve that big goal.

5. Have a Backup Plan

If your post-grad life isn’t going to plan, you know what it’s like when things aren’t working out. For this reason, it’s essential to have a backup plan. Just because you planned your route to your dreams doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. There are variables to consider as well.

For this reason, you should always have a backup plan. If you can’t pick up that internship because it’s too far of a commute, look at other options closer to you. Maybe there’s a part-time opening locally that provides the same experience. Make sure you’re looking at every possibility and setting up multiple “alternate routes,” just in case things aren’t going to plan.

6. Set Short and Long Term Goals

Finally, but equally important, setting short and long-term goals for yourself can help prevent any disappointment. It’s very easy to look at a big, long-term goal and think “I’ll never get there.” But, when you have short-term goals leading up to that bigger goal, everything appears much more manageable.

When your post-grad life isn’t going to plan, it’s easy to get down on yourself and question everything. Don’t let this happen. You worked hard to get where you are, and even if that isn’t necessarily where you want to be, there is plenty of time ahead of you to achieve your dreams.

The bottom line: you’re going to get there. Nobody walks out of college and into their dream job. You’re going to have to continue to work hard post-grad, and it’s going to take up all of your energy. But I promise, in the end, it’s all absolutely worth it.

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