How I'm Feeling After Graduating. 🎓 | Post-Grad Diaries

You guys know how important it is to me to keep it real on this channel!! ✨ And graduating has truly been bittersweet. I'm so proud of myself for this incredible accomplishment, but I'm also mourning the loss of my student identity and this amazing period of life. How did you guys navigate graduation? x

I poured my lil heart into it 💌👩‍🎓🎓

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro! Who am I and what did I study?
1:26 How do I feel about graduating?
2:22 Importance of looking after your mental health [BetterHelp Sponsor!]
4:23 Loss of Purpose and Student Identity
5:53 From Hustle to... Nothing?
7:35 When Will I See My Friends Again? :(
9:02 Home feels so... weird!! Childhood Identity vs New Identity
11:46 Casual Magic of the Day!! ✨
12:25 Thank you for coming on this journey with me!!!

My GORGEOUS Papier planners:

✨ CONTACT ME ✨
Instagram - @unjadedjade
TikTok: @unjadedjade

🌞 MORE 🌞
Casual Magic of the Day: my dad brought my a cup of tea without me asking. These lil acts of service make me feel very loved!!
Song of the Day: Everything has Changed by Taylor Swift (so fitting!!)
Currently Reading: A Little Life and Pachinko!!
What are YOU grateful for today?

FAQ:
How old are you? ~ 23
Where are you from? ~ The UK! Near London.
Where do you go to university? ~ Minerva Schools at KGI
One of the best decisions you ever made? ~ Taking a gap year!

CURRENT FAVOURITES — things I love recently (these are all affiliate links):

if no one has told you today, you are enough. 💛

[jossthomaswright]

Post-graduation depression is SUCH a thing. I wasn't expecting it because I had struggled so much with the final term of uni, but then the next day, BAM. My tips would be to get out of the house, plan in a lot of fun throughout the summer months but keep them spread out so you can rest in between, and actually need the rest. Write notes and stick them on the wall reminding yourself why you're resting, why you deserve it, and that this is a stage in your life that you'll one day only get to look back on, not live through - so that on the days where it's all far too quiet and slow, you know why you're doing it. Don't jump into job hunting too fast. It's only a distraction from the stillness you deserve right at this moment. Set reminders in your calendar to check in with friends because keeping in touch with them will feel obvious right now because you miss them so much, but life will do its thing and you'll appreciate the nudge down the line. Feel, feel, feel. You've done amazingly, congratulations on everything <3

[josephsilva]

Watching your entire journey from GCSE's to this has just been so inspiring, so so proud of you Jade!! 🥹🫶

[carajoubert]

Hi Jade, I just wanted to say you don't have to leave identity of being a student behind, everyday we are continuously learning. You are just transforming into a different type of student. One that let's pure curiosity lead you towards new knowledge. You are a really hard working individual and it is clear you have lots of love in your heart. Your authenticity and vulnerability is what makes you truly shine. All the best, sending lots of love, Cara.

[charlie_linton_]

One year on from graduating (gone soo quick!) but I found embracing/doing the things you wanted to when you couldn’t do at uni really freeing. Running along routes you have never done before. Reading guilt free and not thinking that I need to read something that would benefit my studies. visiting friends- a lot of my friends are still living away so going on little holidays is also soo fun. Don’t feel pressured to apply for jobs straight away- people would ask what I’m doing next, and I’d just say “I don’t know” and a lot of the time the response was “that’s okay” and I felt so surprised and almost happy by that. Take you time and everything will work out!!

[kathrynswords]

I just graduated from high school but I relate SO MUCH to this entire video. Sobbed for two hours straight the night of graduation and 3 weeks post-grad I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. thanks for making me feel a little less alone <3

[_abi_with_an_i]

A year ago I was EXACTLY in this place. Took 3 months at home before starting full time work and it was so disorienting but SO healthy to rest after the grind of school. There is so much light in my life 12 months after, even though everything looks different. Couldn't see it at the time, but there is so much I had to look forward to still.

[Vlogversity]

I just graduated in may and let me tell you.... I HATED IT. Post grad depression hit legit on the day of my graduation and i felt like a total burden. Everyone was there to celebrate me and all i wanted to do was curl up in a ball in my bed. It's scary, nerve-racking, confusing, and a feeling of unpreparedness that takes over. Thinking about how I wouldn't have made it thru school without the moral and financial support of my parents made me feel like i wasn't deserving of a celebration or anything. I didn't (and still dont) have a job or internship lined up and i felt so unprepared for the real world its beyond belief. the thought of having to find a job/internship, interview process, hope that my resume stands out over the others, its all so overwhelming!

[Zoe_EK]

Wow the part about feeling like a changes puzzle piece not fitting quite back into your childhood/family home is not talked about enough! It's overwhelming since it leaves you feeling detached and a little lost but it also gives us space to show our former selves how we have grown and re-experience the space on a new level!

[canadagirl]

Congratulations on your graduation 🎉 You’ve achieved a big milestone in your life. I’m much older and have four degrees because like you I love learning. So keep in mind you can decide down the road to embark on another degree such as a masters and so on. You just ended a huge chapter in your life and it’s completely natural to grieve the loss of your routines, cohort cohesiveness and most of all seeing your friends. You’re right some friends will be with you for your lifetime and others drop away and you meet new people. Change is the only constant in your life. It’s natural you’ve changed and so has your family. So you all will need to rebuild the puzzle structure over time. You may also decide to move to your own location eventually. I can see your wandering feet want to explore again. I have those same inclinations. Take time to go inward and journal and think about your life. What makes you happy? What do you love? What types of places and things speak to you. Do lots of self care. Make a few tiny steps and decisions as your summer goes on. Go have fun! Maybe explore your area or go on a mini break in the UK or Europe. Maybe plan some future get togethers with close uni friends. I find having something on my calendar that I’m looking forward to helps me out. Your casual magic ideas also is a good place to focus and gratitude journals. Having à gratitude journal has helped me immensely especially after my mum died a few years ago. Your therapist is also a good support person. I find when I’m struggling I spend time in nature or cuddle my cats. If you have a family pet that can help. As time passes and the raw sadness lessens then start thinking of what your future self might be doing even if it’s just tiny glimpses of her. Move in that direction with tiny changes. You seem well grounded and I have no doubts that you will find your next chapter soon! You may not feel it now but you are in an exciting time of your life—it’s all before you! I try to recapture that excitement even in my fifties because at the end of the day every day is a new change at life to build a better future for yourself and others. 😊

[alicefeel]

It breaks my heart to hear that you are not exited about the future🥹
I’ve went through that exact same path - great university/ graduation/ going back home/ leaving my whole life behind.
Was feeling depressed as well, but once you get over it and realise that you are free to chose what to do with your future, that you can create in a bigger sense through your job it feels so good!
Don’t let these sadness eat you up, trust me the next chapter is even more exiting 🌟

[rachaelpowles]

My Post Grad Pro Tips
1) It’s going to take your body some time to recover. Let yourself sleep and eat food that makes you feel good, take your time. The exhaustion is normal and will pass when you’re rested.
2) Some of your friendships will fade post grad, and that’s okay! Those people were in your life at that time for a reason, and drifting apart doesn’t erase the wonderful memories you made together. The friendships you want to last will though, if you both put the work in to keep communicating!
3) When you feel ready, find some activities to fill that Nothing! It can be a creative project, or a part time job, a freelance gig, but ease back into setting yourself routines that fill you up without falling into Hustle.
The emptiness that follows graduation is real and scary, but it will pass, I promise. All my love to you Jade!

[Amy-ucbo]

I can’t explain how much I needed this video, packing up after 4 years at a university, watching friends leave as I finish my masters and move home has been heartbreaking! Thank you for talking about this, it has helped me feel a lot less alone in these emotions!

[onabalcony]

I wish I had felt this way! Both times I have graduated I have just felt a huge sense of relief and freedom - that's how I knew I was on the wrong path!!! Taking a huge left turn and changing careers was the best decision ever and I'm glad I have managed to heal some of the hurt and pain that my university experiences caused me!

[sleepy-cowboy]

I recently left a school, and the feelings in the weeks afterwards are so crazy. I'm interested to hear someone else talk about the experience :)

[loubna]

So I cried during the whole video.
I've just graduated from a bachelor degree and I'm taking a gap year before my master degree. The problem is, that I have no idea of what I'm gonna do during the gap year, and of what I'll be doing with my life. I always feel the pressure of, paradoxically, being productive and at the same time resting, after years of hustling. But I feel like I can't rest until I've figured everything out. As a result I feel extreme guilt for "wasting" my summer holidays overthinking all days instead of resting. I never felt as lost as I am right now, I don't see any way out... I'm sorry I wrote such an egoist and pessimistic comment but I felt the need to express myself and somehow I feel safe to do it here.
Thanks for reading me ❤ And thank you Jade for all your amazing videos.
I hope that we will all find our place in this world one day.

[pari]

Hey Jade! I just graduated from college and I’m going to university in September. I’ve been here since your GCSE days so it’s crazy that I’m on the same path you’ve just completed. I’ve had a really tough year and I really relate with feeling quite empty after graduating so thank you for making this video. It’s great that you allow yourself to be so vulnerable (I admire your bravery) just so people like me can relate. I really relate with worrying about my friends and what I’m going to do with my life but I think both of us deserve to give ourselves a break. Congratulations on graduating, and things will get better! Love you 🥰❤️✨

[simplyloveyouso]

Really love to see you talking about this topic. It's a couple of years back now, but I can still very much remember how it felt. And I love your explanation of the belonging to the group of 'students', belonging is one of our biggest desires and that shift if HARD. Any advice? Just breath, take your time to mourn, to look back, to dwell a bit in the memories. You'll be alright. One day you'll find yourself looking back to this period, realizing that you picked up life again without even really noticing. Just because that's what you do, that's what you're able to do. Transitions take time. So take yours

[samanthagamgee]

This is exactly the video I needed - thank you for your honesty. I am about to graduate and couldn't find a grad job in my university city so will be moving 'home'. The thought of leaving the place that currently feels like my true home, the one that the current version of me has grown into, and returning to a place I am supposed to call 'home' but feel I have grown out of, is devastating. I know it won't be forever but, at this stage of life, a few years has a habit of feeling like forever. Many new, exciting things await us in our future, but it is so valid to feel pain and mourn having to close a chapter you would have liked to live in a little longer.

[James-rfu]

Hi Jade, I appreciate it may seem difficult to know your self worth in this tough world and there are a lot of paths we can look to for self improvement and to give us meaning. As arrogant and it sounds for me to say - I 100% believe there is an answer to all of your problems. I'm about to graduate with a masters degree and over the last 4 years I've struggled with a lot of the things you have mentioned in this video. Our porblem often times is we look at ourselves for our own self worth or sense of belonging and try to mould ourselves to be the best version of us and it's exhausting! Constantly thinking I should be doing this or that or wishing that people would think of us in a certain way or maybe thinking if only I could be happy... The truth is your life has value - objective value and God knew you from your mother's womb and he loves you so much and he just wants you to know him and have a real relationship with him. Our problem is that we turn from him all the time we look at other things to give us happiness and meaning - some people chase money status and power but others meditate or get involved in highly spiritual yoga (I'm not just referring to doing a few stretches now and then). We do these things to make our own fullfillment because we don't want God because we're afraid he's going to reject us - maybe we've rebelled against him so long and chaced after spiritual awakening from other sources but the truth is none of this will fullfill us. We try and try and try to get acceptance and to do things to better us but the truth is this will all lead to destruction. We don't deserve anything from God but he's offering a free gift of salvation for all our trespasses against him - past, present and future becuase it is his will that none shall perish. Which is why he sent his only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ to die for your sins and the sins of everyone reading this comment and rose again 3 days later for your justification. He suffered so we won't all you have to do is accept it and once you do you will become an adopted child of God who can never be plucked from his hand. He will lead you home and he rejoices that you want a relationship with him. Jade please don't look everywhere else for the meaning in your life, your life has meaning already you just don't realise yet quite how much! God bless you!

[katharinaalf]

Congrats on your graduation Jade! 🎉 I graduated about 1.5 years ago and almost jumped straight into full time work after without really taking time off and considering what I really wanted to do. I now wish I had taken time to feel a bit ‘sad’ and think about the next steps.
So while it’s super painful to have this post grad depression it might also be a good thing too because when you take some time off and process your emotions, you will have so much more clarity going out of it. 🎉 hope this is a little bit helpful 😅 you will find your path I’m sure ❤