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.
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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.
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