Being Confident in Times of Uncertainty

Emilie Williams STAFF WRITER

So, you are months away from graduating and your educational journey is coming to an end. Now what? The prospect of absolute freedom feels more like doom, and you feel completely lost. Everyone’s experience of university is different, but I’m sure that there’s a shared anxiety over finishing your degree. You are accomplishing an amazing thing and yet all you can think about is ‘what’s next?’. You barely have time to reflect on your achievements and everyone seems to be asking what you have got planned next.

The pressure for students to transition into a new job quickly after graduation is a problem that stems from freshers. Friends and family members seem to ask what you are doing to prepare for your future job whilst you are struggling under the mountains of work. The expectation to constantly grow your CV and employability whilst tackling endless reading and assignments feels overwhelming. As students, we are constantly climbing the academic and career ladder whilst desperately wanting a break.

But why should we place such importance on our careers and success in the first place? Doesn’t this set the expectation that we should be searching for fulfilment in these jobs and opportunities? In an ideal world, everyone would feel free to stumble upon their ‘thing’ through trial and error without social commentary or ridicule. But alas, that’s not the reality of our western society. To be bold in such a career-driven society is to reject the notion that your job defines you and to instead find purpose in your inner life. You are more than what job you do to pay the bills, whether you find enjoyment in your occupation or not.

What does this rejection look like, exactly? Instead of worrying that you’re not doing enough, enter the next chapter of your life with confidence that you are enough. Our early twenties should be the time to be daring, courageous, fearless, adventurous. We shouldn’t be afraid to find out who we are. You may face disappointment, rejection, and frustration whilst looking for new opportunities, but this is all part of the experience. You will never learn anything unless you try, and now is the best time to make all the mistakes you can.

This boldness may sound completely unattainable but is an act of selflove amidst the ambiguity of life. You never know what tomorrow will bring and so letting go of the instinct to resist change is the most freeing thing you can do for yourself.

Here are 5 reminders to help you strive for confidence in times of uncertainty:

It’s okay to just focus on your studies while you’re at university, you don’t have to be constantly obsessing over what comes next.

You may feel pressured to start planning out the details of your future as everyone around you seems to be doing the same. If university work is all you can handle right now, that is okay. Try not to cave into the pressure of having everything planned out when your studies are already very demanding. Even if you do have everything planned out, it still may not work out the way you envision it. So, take things slowly, do what you can, and try not to stress about the future too much.

It’s okay to have no idea what you want to do after you graduate.

You’ve been in education for a long time so it’s okay to give yourself a break from constantly climbing the ladder. It’s difficult to name even a handful of people who are in the same occupation that they started in. Everyone’s paths, needs, and desires change. Your career is not set in stone, and you can experiment in whatever field you like.

Other people’s opinions are not facts. Do what interests you and what feels right.

It’s common to hear advice that feels more like a demand or pressure to do something you have no interest in. Some people may be projecting their desires onto the fresh path ahead of you. It’s important to tune into what you want to do instead of conforming to what you feel like you should be doing.

Take time to celebrate your achievements before moving on to the next steps.

I bet that you find yourself going straight into the next challenge or opportunity once you have finished something. Instead, congratulate yourself on all you have achieved so far, even the small things. They all add up thanks to your hard work and perseverance.

Take things as they come.

As cheesy as it sounds, what is meant to be will simply be. If something is right for you, whether that is a job or opportunity, it will find you. Taking the route of believing you will never achieve anything will only make you notice the negative things more. Trust the process that everything will work out, and you might just find your worries dissipating.