This year marks 2 years since my graduation, it honestly feels like a lifetime ago since I put on the cap and gown, shook someone’s hand (I still don’t remember who they were) and…that was it. 3 years of blood sweat and tears and it was all over. There are so many things I wish I’d known from that point onwards, so I thought I’d share with you 7 things I wish I’d known as a new graduate.

Take time to enjoy what you’ve achieved

You just worked damn hard to get a degree so enjoy it! I 100% regret that I didn’t book a holiday for straight after I graduated to take time to relax and celebrate. I was in a job really quickly and part of me wishes I hadn’t done that. Even if it’s only a week, take some time to enjoy your success.

You’re not meant to know what you’re doing

I don’t like not knowing what I’m doing and I can be pretty impatient. I wanted to prove I had my shit together but I quickly realised I didn’t. I didn’t know at all. My first year out of university was, to put it bluntly, a nightmare. I had some really bad luck. Embrace the fact you have no idea and just go with it!

Uni wasn’t just about getting a job

The promise I would earn more with a degree really made me want to give uni a try. I learnt later that uni wasn’t about getting a job. Simply having a degree doesn’t make you more employable anymore, sorry to break it to you. Uni’s about how you use the time, explore new things, work yourself out, get more insight into what you want to do.

There’s no one way to live your life 

I have friends who graduated and went travelling for a year. Others got married and want to start families. Some went on to a graduate programme or got a job and more than I expected went on to further study. There’s no one way to be a graduate, find what works for you.

Most people don’t go straight into a ‘great job’ 

Some people do but they are very few and far between. Out of the majority of people, I went to university with most went into office jobs as juniors, some are working in retail, others have a lot of further training to do. For the majority, the first year out of uni can be pretty tough going but it’s about the long game, remember that.

You actually did something pretty amazing

Getting a degree isn’t easy! You worked for it and you did it! Celebrate that, you did something amazing.

You’re going to be ok

It’s not the easiest thing in the world, you’ll feel stressed and you’ll have some battles. Remember though, you’re going to be ok.

What would you add? Let me know in the comments below!