According to a review published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, “The pervasiveness of anxiety has been increasing progressively over the years, becoming one of the most critical concerns among colleges and universities.” While anxiety can be significant during one’s college years, for many, anxiety can worsen in transitional periods, such as at the end of the educational experience.
Chinwé Williams, PhD, a licensed and board-certified professional counselor and certified EMDR therapist, confirmed that anxiety is common among recent graduates. “It is extremely, extremely normal,” she tells ESSENCE. “Embarking on a journey of life, whatever that looks like after high school, after college, can be both exciting and terrifying.”
Williams notes the importance of having a support system to help new grads usher in the next phase of their lives and careers. Jordynn Bass, a graduate of the 2024 class at Florida A&M University (FAMU), shared that having a strong “spiritual foundation” and involved parents is helping her navigate the change. “I truly believe, if I didn’t have any of them, I probably wouldn’t have made it through because college is a very, very, very hard experience,” Bass says.
“Seasons of transition can spark for certain students a questioning of their sense of worth,” she adds, which Williams agrees with. “They’re going outside of what is familiar, what they’ve known in their hometowns, or their current environments including school or work or whatever the case may be.”
Kiara Brown, 22, has been seeing herself differently since receiving her bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University. Her support system consists of her parents and her aunt, and she turns to those in her circle who can relate to what she’s experiencing. Brown routinely discusses her career trajectory with friends who are going through the same transition.
“The young adult in me is really starting to kick in because I’m completely done with school,” she shares. “I’ve been in school for 18 years of my life, and now that I’m officially done, it feels weird.”
That weirdness can manifest itself in self-imposed pressures. Brown admits to putting herself on a timeline for securing a new post-grad gig in a challenging job market, and Williams says anxiety can thrive in those times of uncertainty. “The employment opportunities often don’t look like anything that they went to school for, and they’re not getting nearly the salary that they need to be able to survive and buy a home, so there’s a lot that’s overwhelming,” the therapist says.
Post-grad concerns and challenges appear after every stage of the formal education process, not just for the youngest degree holders, but also for those who’ve already been in the work force. Monica Haule, 40, and Sharaye Samuels, 49, received advanced degrees this year. They belong to a community called Cohort Sistas, where members swap information about their educational experiences.
Haule, an educator considering “several backup plans,” has her own concerns about the job market. “I am seeing the landscape and a lot of budget cuts and I just want to make sure I’m covered,” she says.
Samuels is trying to remain optimistic that her efforts to obtain advanced education will be rewarded. “I hear, ‘Oh well, once you get this degree, you’re going to see all these doors open,'” she says. “I hope so.”
As they wait to see what post-graduate life at this stage in their lives will bring, Haule and Samuels receive support from their peers within the community of Cohort Sistas, which was founded by Ijeoma Kola, PhD.
“Something that builds resilience is surrounding yourself with a supportive network of people who can offer encouragement, guidance, and perspective,” says Williams. “It alleviates your anxiety, and it actually instills a sense of empowerment.”
Haule agrees. She’s begun considering her identity outside of her professional worth with the group’s help. “With their encouragement, I’ve decided to prioritize my personal life,” she says.
Williams recommends acknowledging the entirety of a transition to work through anxiety stemming from the time of change. She advocates for adopting “cognitive flexibility” as a strategy. “It’s a mental ability to adjust thinking,” she explains.
Instead of focusing on that job or fellowship that you feel could change everything, shift your perspective in the effort to maintain good mental health. “Align your words with something that’s positive. If you can’t find anything that’s positive, and that’s real sometimes, align it to something that’s neutral. In psychology, we call that a reframe,” she says.
One way to do that? It could be helpful to see graduation as the beginning of a new journey rather than the start of a deadline tied to your self-worth.
“Times of transition, they have both endings and beginnings,” says Williams. “This is really the potential for self-discovery.”