Written by Patrick Brown

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Abderrahmane Meftah on Unsplash

Graduating can be bittersweet. The excitement of making it through an entire university degree and overcoming the challenges that come with it is something to be proud of. At the same time, it also means the end of an era and the closing of another chapter. With your university years ending, mental challenges may arise when trying to figure out what you want to do, and how to cope with missing the times spent with your friends and leaving the city that you became attached to over the years. Graduating has helped me realize that time moves fast, and it is important to make the best of the time you have. There are things I feel students should do to make the best of their time in university and to help them cope with the complex emotions that come with graduating.

Before you graduate: Have some fun!

You do not want to look back on your university years and wish you had done things differently. While it is important to focus on school, especially if you plan on pursuing post-graduate education, you need to make time for fun and extracurriculars. You will make the best memories from time spent with friends and doing fun activities, not at your desk. If you are too focused on school, you could miss out on some great experiences and friendships. In my final year, I managed to have a strong academic year, and I also took many opportunities that led to great memories, which I do not regret. Put yourself out there, get out of your comfort zone, and you’ll look back and be happy with how you spent your years in university.

Build relationships with your professors

One helpful part of university that is not talked about enough is building relationships with professors, especially when you are on your way out. Having a few professors that you are close with can be helpful academically and open you up to opportunities in the future. Over the years, I have become close with a few professors which has helped me with references for jobs and graduate programs and has also given me some connections to my potential career path. These connections can help you with the transition of leaving university, and keep you connected to the school after you graduate. Be sure to say goodbye to the professors who have helped you throughout the years.

Spend time in your favourite places

While it may be hard not to think about the future, especially in your last year at university, you should try your best to stay present and enjoy what is around you while you are still there. Spending time in some of my favourite and most meaningful places in Halifax helped me to soak it all in before I left. My go-to study spots around campus, Point Pleasant Park, and my favourite restaurants/bars (Darrell’s, The Lower Deck, Snappy Tomato, to name a few) were where I spent a lot of time, especially in my last few weeks in the city. This helped me make the most of the time I had left in Halifax.

Coping with leaving

The post-grad blues are not uncommon. The mix of happy feelings and sentiments over leaving the city in which you had spent so much time can be confusing. The quick change from university life to something completely different can be difficult to handle, especially because of how anti-climactic or abrupt finishing your degree may seem. It’s normal to miss the good times you had, but you cannot allow yourself to get stuck dwelling on the past.

Create goals for yourself

Set new goals for yourself. With the absence of academic goals to chase, you may have a void in motivation and things to strive for. Without the clear-cut goals that university can provide, you must create your own. These goals can be small or large scale, so long as you can be consistent in striving towards them. Small-scale goals can be as simple as reaching a certain step count or practicing guitar every week, whatever helps you to stay motivated. Large scale can be more big picture, such as career goals. Having new goals in place will help you to focus on doing what you can to achieve them in the present moment. You cannot go back in time, so you might as well create these goals to make the best of the time you currently have. Don’t be afraid to start now!

Find time for hobbies

Be sure to make time for your hobbies, or find new ones. Finding something new or continuing something you enjoy spending your time on can provide an outlet for post-graduation stress and anxiety that you may be feeling. Whether it’s exercise, painting, or playing music, many activities can help you use your time in a way that is both enjoyable and allows you to process the emotions you are feeling.

Social Connections

Maintain your social connections. Staying in touch with your university friends can give you people to talk to in a similar situation. You are likely not the only person feeling the emotions from leaving university, and talking with these friends in similar positions will help you realize you are not alone. It’s very common to miss university life and be unsure about your future. You should also be putting effort towards your friendships at home or wherever you are after graduation, as this will help you stay connected with others and ease your way into your life after university. Social connections are necessary for mental well-being.

It takes time

Accept that it can take time to process emotions and adjust to life after graduation. Do not expect that you will be able to adjust right away, as the change can be major. Do not be hard on yourself; you must allow yourself to adjust over time while doing what you can to stay mentally healthy and motivated in the present and future.

Final thoughts

Although it can be difficult to say goodbye to university life, you are not alone. You have to do your best with the time you have been given, which means allowing yourself to have a great university experience before graduating, and continuing to stay motivated and move forward after graduation. Despite the emotions you may feel after leaving university, taking certain steps, like the ones previously mentioned, can help ease this transition and will allow you to continue to grow despite the mental challenges.

Graduation: Overcoming the Challenges of Saying Goodbye