Why do so many students feel lost after graduation?

All too often, students confuse doing a job to have money, versus having a job as part of a career, and feel like they've failed, as if their time in school was wasted. That's a kind of tunnel vision that does go away, but it's a source of post-college depression.

Is it normal to feel lost after graduating?

Graduates have a hard time finding their purpose because the purpose-built into being a student — getting good grades, forming social connections, finishing their degrees — no longer exists. They can begin to feel lonely, sad, or unsure about what they should now do with their lives.

What is the after graduation syndrome?

“Post-graduation depression” describes depressive symptoms that occur after a person finishes college or university. Although it is not a medically recognized term, it is an experience many young adults may relate to. After many years of education, people may find adjusting to life after university challenging.

Why do I feel so weird after graduating college?

Graduation often means the loss of your busy social schedule with a close group of friends. After college, you or your friends may relocate and move on to different career paths. With that whirl of activity and familiar support gone, you may feel isolated and lonely.

Why do college students feel lost?

Students are focused on perfectionism. They are thinking, “If I can't be perfect at something, I won't do it.” Students feel lost because they realize that there are many more options than they thought, and they have no idea what to choose nor how to decide what to choose.

3 Lessons for Life After Graduation

Why is life so hard for college students?

Why are you stressed? College students commonly experience stress because of increased responsibilities, a lack of good time management, changes in eating and sleeping habits, and not taking enough breaks for self-care. Transitioning to college can be a source of stress for most first-year students.

Why are college students more depressed than ever?

For most students, college is their first experience living away from home. Moving out, adjusting to a new environment, and forging new social connections can contribute to stress that can play a part in causing depression, Dr. Erickson-Schroth says. Students are also dealing with a lot of pressure to perform well.

Why do people cry after graduation?

Graduation not only can bring up feelings of excitement, pride, and anticipation, but also those of loss, discouragement, and fear. Feelings of loss are commonly felt by students as they face a multitude of changes in their lives.

Why is it sad when you graduate high school?

Life stressors and transitions like graduation cause separation anxiety. Feeling a sense of loss and mourning your “old” life can make it difficult to adjust to your new situation. Even when you feel positive about new independence, it's normal to develop anxiety and/or depression as you get used to your circumstances.

Why do I cry after graduation?

It's totally normal to feel some sadness when you leave college, especially if you've had a great experience there. You're closing out an amazing chapter of your life, and you may feel like you're mourning the loss of that time of your life.

Why is graduation so emotional?

Why am I so emotional about graduating? Graduating from school or university is a significant milestone in one's life, marking the end of an important chapter and the beginning of a new one. It's a time of transition, change, and uncertainty, and it's normal to feel emotional about it.

What percentage of grad students are depressed?

Specifically, a recent study of master's and PhD students in programs across the world, spanning a variety of disciplines, found that 39% of graduate students reported having moderate to severe depression (Evans et al., 2018).

Are graduate students overworked?

Together, up to 75% of graduate students report feeling stressed (12), nearly 50% report feeling overwhelmed, and 40% of students report being exhausted frequently or all the time (13).

Does life after school get better?

You have more educational & future-building opportunities

There is also pressure from peers or family to figure out your future at such a young age which can be overwhelming — but as an adult, you are able to freely decide your future as the world is full of opportunities.

What is life like after graduating?

For some students, financial realities enter the picture upon graduation as well, with more bills and expenses. The first few years after college are a significant transition that often bring anxiety, uncertainty and, at times, social isolation, experts say.

Where did life take you after graduation?

Once you graduate from a university, your entire world will open up to new prospects, new opportunities, as well as new challenges and new obstacles. If you identify some of them, you can prepare yourself better for what you expect and don't expect.

Is it OK to feel lost after high school?

Perfectly normal. You are at one of many life transitions. Theres always some fear adherent in major life changes.

Is graduating at 17 normal?

In the United States, yes, that's the usual age. Of course, there are outliers—those who skip a grade or two and graduate earlier than that, and those who repeat a grade or two and graduate later.

Do kids get depressed after high school?

Having a combination of feelings about moving on to the next chapter in school or in life is completely normal. Some people may feel higher levels of anxiety or depression, feel overwhelmed, and have difficulty coping and managing regular responsibilities and activities.

Why is senior year so emotional?

One of the causes for many of these emotions is the realization that, by definition, their childhood is ending and they will be independent in a few months' time. Many feel that it comes out of nowhere as young adults realize that their time as a kid flew by and all that they've ever known is about to change.

Is it OK to cry at college graduation?

Yes. It is very normal. It's a big change, leaving home, going to some strange place, leaving all that is familiar.

What is graduation blues?

The nerves and worries you might be having about your graduation are referred to by psychologists as 'transition anxiety'. Transition is a normal part of life – it just means moving from one stage to another.

What is the leading cause of death in college students?

In 202 responding institutions providing information on 327 deaths over 10 years, the five leading causes by proportion were accidents (26.3%), suicide (8.0%), heart and circulatory diseases (7.7%), pneumonia (7.3%) and tuberculosis (6.4%).

Which disorder has the highest percentage affecting college students?

Is the mental health of college students getting worse?

Indeed, a new national survey shows that rates of depression and anxiety among college students are at historic levels. Even scarier, more college students than ever before said that they are thinking about suicide.