There is so much pressure for you to go straight into a high-flying career straight out of university. Where does this pressure come from? And how do we tackle it?
I’ve just finished my degree. I’m so fresh out of university, I haven’t graduated yet. I still wake up in a cold sweat, panicking about that deadline that, I quickly remember, doesn’t exist.
I’ve barely had time to comprehend the fact that I am out of education. So why do I feel this pressure to jump straight into a career that I will stay in for the rest of my life, one that will see me through marriage, children and retirement?
I know I’m not alone in this.
Where does this pressure come from?
- Society: The idea that university guarantees you a job straight off the bat is an outright lie. Unless you specifically do a combination degree/placement situation (where you are more likely, but still not guaranteed, to get a job), degrees DO NOT result in automatic jobs. I wish that this had been talked about more when I was applying to university.
- Social Media: Seeing your friends, or your mum’s friend’s son, graduating with a job lined up is great for them, but can be stressful for you. What social media doesn’t show is the weeks and months later where they decide that the job that they’ve worked so hard for isn’t for them, and they quit. Everyone is different.
- University: For me, this is the big one. During my degree, my university kept throwing the statistic at me that “95% of graduates go onto employment or further study within six months of graduation”. Obviously, I didn’t want to be the 5% who let the team down. However, after looking into it, I realised that ’employment’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘high-flying career relating to your degree’. I am employed and, although it might only be in hospitality, that employment right now pays the bills.
How to manage this pressure?
- Don’t compare: This is far easier said than done (says she who is currently comparing her writing to that of an Australian teenager on Instagram that she’s never met).
- Acknowledge: Recognising that everyone moves at a different pace is where you need to be. Also, recognising that perhaps a lifelong career isn’t the goal for some people. There is no one way to live your life.
