What’s next after uni?

The end of uni isn’t the end: Dorset Mind volunteer Annabel Goddard says it’s OK to be uncertain and take your time to find your path after university It certainly felt odd submitting my last ever assignment on a random Thursday back in May. Three years of lecture slides, research, scouring the library and trying to stick to word counts was over with one final click of a ‘submit’ button. I can’t be alone in sitting back and thinking: ‘well, now what?’ A reasonable response, given the years of hard work and dedication being converted into a single Word document, usually in dissertation format. The enormity of dissertations shrinks over time – the monolith of the first year becomes a wish for an extra couple of thousand words by the end of third year. But that document doesn’t represent the life you’ve probably only adjusted to in the last year or so, or the friends you made who may well live in opposite corners of the country (or even the world).

The end of uni is an enormous upheaval – and having to worry about what’s next often overshadows the end-of-uni celebrations. One friend may have an itinerary for a sixmonth trip around Italy. Another may be frantically applying for jobs. Someone on your course has been offered an amazing graduate position at a major PR firm in London...

If you’re looking at everyone else and wondering what on earth there is for you to do now, you’re not alone. It’s hard not to compare, but equally, it’s OK to have absolutely no idea what to do next. In fact, you’re likely in the majority.

After all, you’ve spent the last three years mustering up all your brain power just to get to where you are now – it’s defintely OK to live slowly until you feel recharged.

Take a breath

Why not take give yourself permission to take a break? Maybe take a few nice trips to the beach or countryside? When you’re ready, have a think about what you’d like to be doing this time next year. Once you know where you’d like to be, just start slowly. Hopefully you don’t have to rush into a job you don’t like. You may decide you simply want to earn some money for the next year – you don’t have to rush into a career path just because you’ve graduated. You won’t regret giving yourself time to think and recover.

If you are like me, you’ll love being outside and exploring the South Coast. If you’ve come to Bournemouth to study, why not get around to actually visiting the places you’ve been meaning to go for the last three years? There are regular bus links which can take you along the

Jurassic Coast and towards Swanage – a few final days out with your housemates, making the most of the area before you leave Bournemouth, possibly for good, will cement your friendships. Studland, Durdle Door and Kimmeridge are all beautiful places to see nature and will all help rebalance your wellbeing before you start thinking about your career path or next move. You may even find some inspiration!

As daunting as it may be, it’s important to remember that the world will always hold a place for you, so enjoy your journey as well as you can – wherever it takes you.

Support for you:

• Visit Dorset Mind for local mental health support and helpful advice

• The Samaritans are there to listen 24/7, call them for free on 116 123

• Call Dorset’s mental health helpline Connection for support on 0800 652 0190

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