Man : Graduate Blues (Post Grad Depression)

A.   Post-College Depression:

      i.    Fears

§  One of the most disconcerting concerns about graduates today is about emotional health after university/college is post-college depression.

§  It can affect every graduates:

o   from a small  to a renowned University,

o   no matter where you attended college, 

o   what educational programs  you were in

§  Common for graduates to struggle with an array of negative emotions that arise from all the challenges facing after college throughout your twenties and thirties.

§  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, acute depression is the second-most common illness in the United States right after ischemic cardiopathy (congestive heart failure).

§  Graduates are going through a very different stage in life and it’s a huge change.

o    Life is unstable; there’s no specific path and the academic path used to follow whole life.

o   Graduates don’t know how to deal with the instability:  “post-college depression” or “post-college blues.” Graduates feel helpless.

§  Initially, a sense of excitement; then the reality sets in that you can’t go back to your old life.

     

  ii.     Reasons

§  Graduates are not prepared for what they’re going to experience in the real world.

o   Colleges and parents give students an unrealistic view of what they’re capable of after college.

o   Students expect awesome jobs and high salaries.

o   Realizing who they thought they were and what they are capable of are different in the real world.

§  Due to unrealistic expectations,

o   There’s a fear of failure and that are not going to be as happy as expected to be.

o   There’s also the social pressure of meeting people in new locations.

  iii.     Symptoms of Post-College Depression

§  Difficulty concentrating or making decisions §  Feelings of worthlessness or guilt §  Focusing on failure §  Excessive anxiety §  Lack of confidence §  Feeling of being overwhelmed §  Sadness § Increasing reliance on substances (drugs and alcohol) or additive behaviours §  Thoughts of suicide—seek help immediately if you experience this symptom §  Irrational, overly negative thinking (No one likes me; I’ll never find a job; My friend is going to leave me…)

§ Loss of interest in normal activities § trouble controlling your temper or anxious feelings § Tiredness § Feeling not good enough § Impaired concentration or memory § Inability to cope § Despondency or despair § Hopelessness § Exhibit poor self-esteem and/or body image § You sleep too much or too little § You either eat too much or too little

 

  iv.     Post-College

DOs:

§ Vary your routine.

o   Take your laptop to a coffee shop and write cover letters there. Go to a friend's house for a movie. Generally just get out of the house.

§ Exercise.

o   It will burn off some of your existential doubt.

§ Keep in touch with people who support you.

o   Seek out positive, productive people and have coffee with them.

§ Cheer yourself up.

o   Sometimes I buy myself flowers from the supermarket and put them in my room for no reason. This is a very, very lame thing to do. Do these things anyway and laugh at yourself.

§ Get up in the morning.

o   Take a shower. Put on real clothes.

§ Every time you spend money, write it down.

o   Do this for a month. One side of the table should be “Income,” the other, “Expenses.” This will give you a more realistic picture of where you need to cut costs, and it will also encourage you to spend less.

§ Find something to take care of.

o   Cats, pets

§ Drink tea.

o   Yerba mate and green tea are particularly good because they provide caffeine without being hard on your stomach or making you feel nauseous. 

DON’Ts:

§  Sink into a pit of despair.

§  Allow yourself to remain in a pit of despair if you do find yourself inside of one.

§  Start watching Lost (see intro).

§  Get angry with yourself when you don't reach your own goals or follow your personal rules.

o   You will fail sometimes and you have to just kind of keep going anyway.

§  Overindulge.

o   Recreation by drugs, drinking, it will hurt both your soul and your wallet in the long run.

§  Spend more than you can afford. 

o   You should treat yourself every once in a while to maintain morale, but it should be like a pint of ice cream every week, not a martini every hour and a half.

B.    What's Next?

    v.     Effective life management

§  Deal with the change

o   have a major change in identity: “vision of yourself.”

o   revaluate yourself: no longer a student, and develop your emotional intelligence.

o   manage and change perspective of choices regarding your life and the direction you want it to go.

§   A transitional period.

o   accept where you are. It is temporary — initial let down will pass

o   may feel lonely and disappointed. Expect it now

§   Read, leisure.

o   Feed your brain with pleasurable reading (rather than endless days of HBO).

o   Take note of what you are reading and why you’re reading it.

o    Do things you would never get to do when “life,” work and busy schedules get in the way?

o   Get as creative as you’d like on this one; you’ll never have this much time or freedom again.

o    Take risks and do things you’ve never done before. You never know where life will take you when you get out of your comfort zone.

§ Get reacquainted with your passions.

o   If you love hiking, take a road trip and go hike somewhere cool.

o   If you’re a fitness freak, use your down time to work out, train for an event, and get involved with work out fitness classes/groups in your community.

o   It may sound so obvious but when you are caught up in the post-college slump, it’s easy to stay on the couch in “poor me” mode. This will only delay your life more.

§ Volunteer.

o   Volunteering is one of the best ways to fill down time and get happy.

o   Volunteering doesn’t necessarily need to be done in a traditional sense (i.e., apply for a structured program and work scheduled hours at a facility).

o   If you love fashion, you could start helping the girls in your neighbourhood put together new looks or start guest posting on fashion blogs. If you love math, you can

o   You will meet great new people who share your interests, which lead to a positive attitude, new business connections and something to take your mind off of the post-college blues. There is no downside in volunteering!

§ Spend time with family members.

o   Between graduation and starting work, spend a few days with family members and help with their daily chores, gardening, and cleaning garage, cleaning and organizing.

o   The same is true for grandparents or relatives that you don’t get to see often.

o   Spending a few extra days with someone you love will likely be a lasting memory and a rare occasion.

 “You have brains in your head. 

You have feet in your shoes. 

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. 

You're on your own. 

And you know what you know. 

You are the guy who'll decide where to go.”-Dr. Suess

Excerpt: Marcos Salazar

§  Founder of The Life After College Project, a research center that studies experiences of college graduates. author of Feeling Good for Life and The Turbulent Twenties Survival Guide.