Why It’s Okay Not to Have Everything Figured Out After Graduation

Julia reflects on the stress and uncertainty of life after graduation, exploring the pressures of choosing a career and embracing the freedom to explore multiple paths. 

- Julia Zablocka

Graduating from university is often celebrated as a huge milestone, but for many of us, it brings a mix of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. The pressure to immediately figure out a career can feel overwhelming. We’re expected to choose a path at 18 and stick with it for the rest of our lives—but is that really realistic in today’s world?  

It wasn’t always like this. Back in the Renaissance, people were encouraged to explore a range of disciplines, and having a broad set of skills was seen as a strength. Leonardo da Vinci, for example, wasn’t just a painter famous for the Mona Lisa—he was also an inventor, scientist, and engineer. He designed things like early tanks and mechanical robots, embodying what we now call a "Renaissance soul." His life was built around curiosity and learning, not being tied to just one thing.  

Fast forward to now, and the idea of being multidisciplinary has faded. We’re often told to specialise and choose one career. But in a world where many of the jobs we’ll have in the future don’t even exist yet, how does that make sense? Just five years ago, most of us wouldn’t have thought jobs in AI would be a major career path, and now they’re everywhere. As a recent graduate, I’ve felt this pressure firsthand. I found myself questioning how to move forward when the idea of a "single career" seems out of touch with reality. I am not the same person I was at 18, and I won’t be the same person in 10 years. It’s daunting to be expected to have everything figured out now. The stress comes not only from the fear of making the "wrong" choice but also from the idea that I should know exactly what I want for the rest of my life when I’m still discovering who I am. 

It’s okay not to have a clear, defined path. If history has taught us anything, it’s that being curious and exploring multiple passions can lead to incredible discoveries, both professionally and personally. Our society is constantly changing, and we’re allowed to change with it. We can be artists, scientists, inventors, or something completely different over the course of our lives – although this isn’t considered to be a popular opinion nowadays.  

For me, accepting this has been a significant part of managing my mental health. The uncertainty is still there, but I no longer feel trapped by the idea that I must choose one thing and stick with it forever. Instead, I try to embrace the fact that I will continue to grow and evolve, just like the world around me. We are allowed to have multiple interests and this should be encouraged. 

Oscar Wilde once said, "If you know exactly what you want to be in life, you will become it; and that is your punishment". It is a privilege to not know what you want to be in life and have the opportunity to reinvent yourself.  

I hope that by sharing my experience, other graduates, or anyone who’s feeling the pressure to have everything sorted, can find some comfort. It’s okay not to have everything planned out. Instead of feeling weighed down by the idea of choosing just one path, let’s embrace the possibilities. Life is about exploring, and it’s okay to take our time.

Find out how you can get involved with the Student Minds Blog. You can also find support at Student Space.

Hi, my name is Julia and I'm a recent psychology graduate. Like many others, I've felt the pressure of trying to figure out my career path. I'm sharing my story to remind others that there are many people in the same position as them and it's okay not to have everything figured out. 

Students Spreading Positivity: Celebrating Social Media Kindness Day 2024

Social Media Kindness Day 2024 encourages students to use their online presence to spread positivity, empathy, and support, reminding us all to create a more uplifting and respectful digital world.

- Student Minds Blog Editorial Team

⭐ How can you embrace social media as part of your university experience? ⭐

Taylor - Embracing social media during your university experience is a great way to make friends and find your people! Whether you’re joining university Facebook groups, following student societies on Instagram, or connecting with classmates on TikTok, social media helps you tap into the campus vibe and meet like-minded people. It’s an easy way to stay in the loop about events, study groups, or impromptu meet-ups, and you can instantly bond over shared interests. Plus, if you’re a bit shy in person, messaging someone online can be a great icebreaker! Social media makes it simple to explore all the communities your university has to offer and find your tribe.

Madeleine - Social media is a great way to meet like-minded people. It could be a live study session to get focused on your goals for the week, or a group call to discuss a project, social media allows connection and collaboration. It's important to be balanced in your university approach, as it is with social media- it can be a great way of keeping up with friends old and new while at university as well as connecting with study partners. Being kind goes a long way, maybe that fresher you met at an event last week is nervous to message first but would love a new friend! Or maybe one of your school friends is in need of cheering up and some words of support would go a long way. Whatever you use social media for, being kind can be so important, after all, you never know what's going on in someone else's mind.

How are you getting involved this Social Media Kindness Day? Share with the team - we'd love to hear from you!

Find out how you can get involved with the Student Minds Blog on Social Media Kindness Day. Need support? Don't forget to check out the Student Space.

Written by the Student Minds Blog Editorial Team.

Accustomed to solitude

Vee writes about overcoming feelings of loneliness and making friends at uni.  

- Vee

I live alone at uni. Specifically, I live in a studio flat. 

Talking and interacting with people is definitely not my speciality. I chose to opt out of living the “uni life” with a bunch of flatmates, going clubbing and partying and meeting 100 different people in the span of a week. When I first moved into my studio, I barely left, and didn’t attend any events during Fresher’s, save for one thing that I got dragged to by someone who had also come to my university. I met and talked to a couple people there, including someone who happened to do the same course I was doing. I also randomly bumped into someone on campus, who complimented my outfit, and we became friends. However, after freshers, I talked to no one during lectures. I’d go over to my friends flat and hang out with their flatmates, but it was never anything close. They all liked me, but I wasn’t into clubbing and partying or even talking so it never led to anything more.  

I spent a lot of time in my studio in the end. I would go to class, speak to no one, walk home, and stay in my room all by myself. At some point, I felt so alone, and assumed that no one liked me or wanted to be friends with me.  

 

But I was wrong.  

 

The problem was that I was always too scared to talk to people, be myself, and ask to hang out (massive fear of rejection). I always kept to myself, because it felt easier. But it also made my first year at university incredibly isolating. I barely got involved with anything because I was so unprepared for how crippling of feeling loneliness was. I experience it a lot but feeling lonely around 30,000 students - nearly 400 of them in my course - exacerbated this even more. Towards the end of the term, I got involved with numerous activities, but more importantly, I actually talked to people. I hated it, but the few friends I have now are worth it.  

Remember the person I met at a random freshers event, who happened to be on the same course as me? That guy would always say “hi!” to me if he ever saw me at lectures, but until I started talking to him properly, asking for his number (I’m in the minority of people who don’t use Instagram or Snapchat), messaging and hanging out with him after lectures, I realised that no matter what, there's always at least one person who wants to be friends with you, and in my case, all I had to do was let them in.  

This blog was written as part of the U-Belong campaign to combat loneliness and isolation at university. To find out more, visit their website. You can also find support at Student Space.

Hello, I’m Vee. I study psychology and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Nottingham and work on multiple research projects regarding student mental health. I love research, and from personal experiences, I developed a sense of advocacy towards students suffering from mental health issues, loneliness, a lack of belonging, and the many challenges faced by students from marginalised groups.