Now What?

choose, then a couple years from now, that will end up being your biggest regret.

That doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to ease some of those worries. If it’s your final year you’re anxious about, the best solution is to talk to students who have already survived it (or are close to doing so). They can offer advice on exactly what to expect. The scariest part in all of this is the uncertainty, the endless questions. Once you know what you’ll be dealing with, you can consider your options and tentatively make some plans. There’s no need to rush it, but you’ll be saving yourself a lot of stress by getting the information you need as soon as possible. Arranging a meeting with your study advisor is a good idea for those same reasons. They’re here to help you and since they’re aware of how your studies have gone so far, they might be able to give you more personalised insights. You can also talk with your study advisor about your options after graduation; they may not be able to make decisions for you, but they can tell you more about the possibilities that come with your degree.

Both the University and the internet provide plenty of resources to guide you towards the

“right” decision as to what to do once you’ve graduated, in as far as such a thing exists. If you’re still looking into your options, or you’re unsure about the details regarding the process of applying for postgraduate degrees or jobs, your first stop should be the Careers Service. You can easily book a 30-minute appointment either in person or online, and talking to a member of the team might give you some reassurance and make you feel like you actually know what your next steps are. If there are specific things you’re anxious about, like your CV or any potential interviews you’ll need to take, they can help you out through advice and practice interviews. Another useful resource are societies that spread awareness about the different employment opportunities that are out there, like Claiming our Futures for Humanities students and Route2 for Law students who want a career outside of the legal sector. These societies allow you to meet and speak to alumni and potential employers, which in my experience can be very helpful. However, in the end most of the research will be your own responsibility. It’s a lot of pressure to bear, but as long as you give yourself the time to explore and keep talking about it to others, I trust that you (and yes, me too) will figure things out eventually.