So college ended, everyone moved on, and I’m just… here wondering what’s next?

It can't really be over... right?

I'm gonna be so for real right now. Watching everyone go back to school while you're unemployed and confused hits different. Like I'm genuinely happy for y'all, but also I just spent two hours crafting the perfect cover letter for a job I'll probably never hear back from, and now I'm doom-scrolling through everyone's 'fresh start energy' posts while eating leftover pizza in yesterday's clothes.

And like... what even is my life right now???

After basically my whole life being set to a “back to school” rhythm — fall semester, spring semester, summer break — it feels so weird that it just… stopped. No new semester, no schedule, no guidance. I’m just out there on my own. Like, where’s my syllabus? Who’s telling me what comes next??

Spoiler: no one.

If that sounds familiar, welcome to the group chat. Population: all of us trying to figure out what post-grad even is.

The stages of post-grad chaos (spoiler: it's messy)

If it’s just you, your degree, and the terrifying freedom to figure out what comes next, you might be navigating the weird emotional obstacle course that is post-grad life. We're gonna walk through this whole emotional disaster together because I get it and also I genuinely think we can figure this out.

Stage 1: Delulu denial

I told myself all summer: this is potentially my last extra-long break. Enjoy it!

But now, reality has set in. And… surprise. No one’s sending me a syllabus. No one’s calculating my credits. And apparently “five-year plan” is a thing now?? When I barely have a five-day plan?

Stage 2: Fake acceptance

The diploma is literally sitting on my desk judging me while I eat individual applesauce cups at 3pm because that's apparently what my life has become. I know college is over, but I've been living in this weird denial bubble.

Then move-in day hit social media like a truck. My feed turned into Target hauls and "omg my roomie!" while I stared at my childhood walls like, guess I live here now.

Stage 3: The post-grad loneliness is actually devastating

Four years of having built-in friends literally down the hall and suddenly… nothing. My best friend is three states away living her best grad school life, and when I text the group chat "having another quarter life crisis lol" I get one heart react and radio silence.

Remember when making plans was just "wanna get dining hall food?" and now it's like scheduling a UN meeting just to grab coffee? I miss accidentally running into people I knew every five seconds. Now if I want human interaction I have to like, actively reach out to people like some kind of functioning adult.

Late-night Taco Bell runs with whoever was awake? Gone. Now it's me, whatever questionable leftovers are in my parents' fridge, and Netflix judging me for watching the same show for the 47th time.

Stage 4: The "what now" spiral is real

Okay but like, how do you even adult when no one gives you instructions?

How do you make friends when there's no forced group projects or people you see in the same lecture three times a week? Where's my syllabus telling me exactly what to do and when? I need deadlines and assignment sheets, not this "figure out your entire life" nonsense.

This whole post-grad thing is like when your hair is too short to put in a ponytail but too long to just leave and it looks terrible no matter what you do. Except it's my entire existence.

Stage 5: Everyone asking about my "plans" (please stop)

I'm begging everyone to stop asking me what I'm doing with my life.

No, I don't have a job yet. No, I don't know what I want to do "long-term." No, I can't just "figure it out" because apparently figuring it out requires having it already figured out?? Make it make sense. Also, need a way to tell my parents that TikTok advice is more helpful than the motivational posts.

Stage 6: Toxic positivity era (we've all been there)

“This is just preparation for my glow up!” I whisper to myself while crying in various parking lots.

The amount of motivational LinkedIn posts and Pinterest quotes my mom keeps sending me could power a small country. Did they help? Not really.

Stage 7: Alumni weekend is my Super Bowl now

I'm already counting down to homecoming like it's my personal Christmas. Planning the perfect 'do I look like I still go here?' outfit so I can walk through campus and maybe accidentally get confused for a student again.

Miss me with the judgment. I just want to use my old dining card and bump into friends in the library instead of having to coordinate hangouts through 47 different group chats.

Stage 8: Sort-of acceptance (we're working on it)

Look, this whole thing is weird and scary and nothing like what I expected, but it's... mine, I guess?

I'm basically a freshman again except instead of figuring out college, I'm trying to figure out how to be a real person in the world. And just like freshman year, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but at least this time no one's judging my meal plan choices.

Congrats, you’ve unlocked all eight stages of post-grad chaos

Some days I'm like "yeah I'm figuring it out, this is fine!" and other days I have a full breakdown because someone my age just bought a house and got engaged and I can't even figure out what to make for lunch. We're working on it.

The actual job search reality check

Okay, so here's the harsh truth: while we're having this emotional crisis, we also need to find actual jobs because our parents are making increasingly pointed comments about "independence" and in the real world, rent exists.

I get that it feels like a lot right now. The jobs posted out there aren’t making it any easier.

The whole "entry-level job but actually not" nightmare

Can we talk about how absolutely unhinged job postings are? Like "entry-level marketing coordinator" and then the requirements are basically "5 years experience, extensive portfolio, ability to read minds, must have personally invented social media."

It's genuinely wild out there. Half these companies want you to be an expert in everything while also being grateful for the opportunity to maybe make $15 an hour. I've been applying to stuff anyway because what else are you gonna do? Here's what I'm slowly learning, though:

Some of those requirements ARE real.

And sometimes HR copies and pastes job descriptions without thinking.

The problem is you can't tell which is which from the posting.

Beating the “experience required” trap

Here's what I figured out: Most “entry-level” job postings are wish lists. They don’t actually expect new grads to check every single box. 

What they really want? Someone who’s willing to learn and doesn’t ghost.

Now, instead of rotting in bed, pretending this wasn't happening, I read the whole job description and only apply to jobs where I can genuinely see myself doing most of the work. Like, if they want 5 years of social media strategy and I've never touched a content calendar, probably not my moment.

But if they're looking for 'social media experience' and I've been running socials for the group I'm in or made content for a class project, that literally counts as experience. I'm finally learning to hype up what I've actually done instead of just sending out random applications and praying something works.

It's still frustrating, but spending time on applications I actually care about feels less soul-crushing than sending out 50 generic ones a day and getting rejected by robots. Plus when someone actually calls, I remember what I applied for instead of panicking like "which marketing coordinator position was this again?"

People are hiring new grads, it's just not always clear from the posting. I've found that anything with 'assistant' or 'coordinator' in the title is usually more open to teaching you. Tech skills help but prepare to become the unofficial office tech support.

Building some kind of job search routine so you don’t become a goblin

Okay so I had to figure out some kind of routine or I was genuinely going to become a cave person who only emerges for DoorDash deliveries.

What's been working for me: Before I do anything “real”, I do like one tiny thing that makes me feel human - coffee on the porch, word-vomiting all my anxious thoughts into my notes app, or just stretching for literally 5 minutes. It tricks my brain into thinking I'm a functional person.

How I split my day:

• AM: applications + networking chaos.
• PM: pick one skill that actually sounds kinda fun and dive in. Free courses exist. Worst case, I learn something random. Best case, it’s a line on my résumé.
• Night: touch grass, text a friend, remember I’m human.

FAQ: Stuff we’re all googling at 2am

Is it normal to feel behind after graduation?
Yes, it's completely normal to feel behind after graduation - like, painfully normal. Most new graduates feel "late" to having their life together when college ends, even though there's no actual timeline you're supposed to follow. That friend posting about their amazing new job on LinkedIn? They probably had a breakdown in a parking lot last week, too.

How long does it take to find a job after graduation?
On average, it takes new graduates anywhere from 6 weeks to 8 months to find a job. I know… that’s a massive range. Like, thanks for the clarity, right? It feels like everyone else is getting hired immediately while you're still getting ghosted, but honestly most people just don't post about the months of rejections before they finally got something. The ones who land jobs super fast usually had connections or got really lucky with timing.

Why is it so hard to get a job after college? Honestly? The job market is kind of broken right now. Companies want experienced people but don't want to train anyone, wages haven't kept up with living costs, and everything goes through AI filters that reject you for random reasons. Plus there are just more graduates competing for the same roles than there were like 10 years ago.

How do I get a job with no experience as a recent graduate? Focus on internships, volunteer work, freelance projects, or anything that shows you can do the work - even if it was unpaid or "just" for school. Apply anyway when you meet like 60% of the requirements. And honestly, networking (ugh, I know) actually works better than just applying online into the void.

What are the best entry-level jobs for recent graduates? Customer success roles, social media coordination, sales development, healthcare admin, and anything in tech support are usually more open to training new people. Look for words like "associate," "coordinator," or "assistant" - they're usually more realistic about hiring recent grads.

Is it normal to live with parents after graduation? Extremely normal. Like, more normal than not at this point. Rent is insane, entry-level salaries are terrible, and student loans exist. Most of your friends are probably doing the same thing even if they're not posting about it on Instagram.

What if I picked the wrong major?
Join the club. Most people don’t end up working directly in their major. Your degree shows you can learn hard things and stick it out. Turns out employers care way more about that than whether you aced Organic Chemistry.

What should I do if I feel completely lost after graduation?
Start small. Do one thing each day that moves you forward, even if it’s tiny. Apply to a job, DM someone, take a free course, or just walk outside to remind yourself the world is still spinning.

What should I put on my resume as a new graduate? Everything counts - group projects, internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work, even managing social media for organizations you were part of. Focus on what you accomplished, not just what your job title was. And please, customize it for each application.

Why do entry-level jobs require experience? Because companies are being unrealistic about what they can get for entry-level pay, or they're hoping to find someone with experience willing to take less money. Sometimes it's just lazy HR copying old job descriptions. Apply anyway if you can do most of what they're asking for.

Figuring it out in real time

Yeah, the post-grad life can be uncomfortable. The uncertainty, the rejections, the constant "what am I even doing" moments - all of that is real and valid. But maybe the fact that it's hard means you're doing something that actually matters.

Think about it, you're literally designing your own life from scratch. Even when it feels like you're drowning, you're out here building something that's actually yours.

If you want some help seeing what your options actually are when everything feels like chaos, tools like Jema can act like GPS when you're completely lost. But honestly? Even if you're figuring it out the messy way, you're still figuring it out.

And that’s enough.