You've used up all of your student loan, you have probably maxed out your overdraft; whether you're paying for a place to rent or living back at home, you're practically clutching at straws just to get by. Now if you're an adult reading this who hasn't been to university, you might be relating right now - or even thinking you're in a 'worse' position. But, the difference between you and us is that having stuck with education and not got ourselves into an industry or trade, where we can earn money, we had to invest our time into education and other activities surrounding it. So not having that stable foreground financially and in job security, especially in the creative industries, makes it all the more that bit terrifying having come out of education. Yes, some people have a job lined up once they have got their degree, but it's not quite that simple for other graduates.
When you finish university you usually go back home (if you lived away) and if you haven't already got a job set in stone, you start to worry because at
what point am I going to
start my life? I have been at school since I was four years old, I've stuck with education right the way through to twenty-one, I've had about eight jobs I've worked since I was sixteen, to earn my own money to be able to buy new clothes, go out, or to save up for a holiday. Now it's time to get in to the
real world and I'm running out of money, I'm struggling to get a job,
ANY kind of job, living away from home, and struggling to make ends meet.
University was a great experience, it showed and taught me things I didn't even think were possible. Like how to write a 2500 word assignment on a question I don't even understand in under twelve hours and actually pass it, how to go out and not spend a penny, and how pesto apparently sticks to the ceiling. You make amazing friends out of people you never in a million years thought you would be friends with, you go to the most insane house parties with literally hundreds of people there, and because its usually the prime time in your life (18-24) you experience all of your heartbreaks and tragedies, as well as some of your best times, with the people that you live with, and that you are friends with at university.
You're so used to constantly being around people and always having something to do, so when you come out of that reality it's quite mind-boggling. All of a sudden you're just in like a grey space, where you're not really doing anything with your life and you don't know when you will. You're trying, but your efforts just aren't paying off, resilience in the mind is weakening and you just
don't.know.what.to.do.
University forces you to make decisions, forces you to work with people you might not like and most of all it forces you to grow up. It gives you a new found sense of independence, and going from that free to being thrown in to the deep end with a brick tied to your ankle is a big change, and not a nice one as you can imagine.
Some courses, more than others are more difficult to be employed in after graduation, like Journalism, and especially Music Journalism (like me). But regardless, if you haven't got a job lined up by the time you have graduated, no matter what your field, the consistent rejection from job applications and interviews can take a serious toll on one’s self esteem.
According to
The Independent, "Statistics state that one in four students suffers from depression during their studies, but no official figures exist for graduates in the post-university transition." This is quite scary because its evidently shows that there's no welfare or help available for post graduates struggling with their mental health since leaving university.
The point of this article was to make those other graduates out there realise that they're not alone in feeling a discombobulated way since leaving university, and to reach out for help if needs be. If you can't talk to family or friends about how you are feeling, these helplines are fantastic and will listen to every word. Things will get better.
Anxiety UK - Phone: 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm)
CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35.
- Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight)
Men's Health Forum: 24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email.
Mental Health Foundation
Mind - Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)
No Panic - Support for sufferers of panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Offers a course to help overcome your phobia or OCD.
- Phone: 0844 967 4848 (daily, 10am to 10pm)
OCD Action - Phone: 0845 390 6232 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm)
OCD UK - Phone: 0845 120 3778 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
PAPYRUS - Young suicide prevention society. Phone: HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm and 7pm to 10pm, and 2pm to 5pm on weekends)
Rethink Mental Illness - Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
Samaritans - Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline)
SANE - SANEline: 0300 304 7000 (daily, 4.30pm to 10.30pm). Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most: www.sane.org.uk/textcare
