The end of your academic life can be a strange and sudden experience. You go from sitting in exam halls and celebrating each assignment with a Netflix binge to sitting at home and reloading graduate job websites, wondering why you complained so much in the first place.
What Just Happened?
You've walked out of the exam hall and all of a sudden you get this overwhelming feeling. It's the end of a very long and tiring journey which gives you instant relief but you also start to grieve your experience. Remind yourself post-final exam to sit down and think about all you've done over the last few years: the friends you've made, the experiences you had and the classes that you actually loved.
I Did It!
It felt like you'd never get through that thesis, assignment or exam but you did it! It's a time for you to feel immensely proud of yourself. Celebrate your success with your friends or family and brag about how proud you are of yourself. You only graduate from college once... well...
Goodbye, My Friends...
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The hardest part of walking away from your college experience is saying bye to your friends. You lived, drank, laughed and cried through assignments together and you know you couldn't have done it without them. Make that Whatsapp group, plan events for everyone to get together and be a support to one another as you try and search for a new direction or job.
Should I Go Back?
You might be thinking about that MA degree or whether or not to pursue a PhD? If that's the case, give yourself time for a break first. If you want to continue your studies it's important to take a break, a year or two, and recharge your batteries. You'll be more inspired and ready for your next academic challenge.
What Do I Do Know?
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You've handed back the last of those library books, nursing your hangover and your friends are about to go away on their J1. You're asking yourself: "What do I do next?". Sit back and relax. Read those books you've been eyeing up on your side dresser. Don't beat yourself up over what hasn't happened. Breathe and take things day by day.
Here are some of the best graduation speeches from the people you admire:
