Post-grad depression hit me hard. My good friends had all graduated the year before and had gone back home, and I spent senior year with the two that were left. I was still in school and didn't get why they didn't want to hang out and do all the stuff we used to do in school (I understand now though - when you have to get up for work, you can't party like a rock star, and partying with 18 years olds makes you feel SO old when you've graduated). So I felt pretty alone.
I decided not to go to law school, which was my big goal in life. Of course, I picked one of the toughest years in recent history to try to get a job. I ended up in a job in a completely new area (marketing when I was poli sci/communications in college). In 2 weeks, I went from being completely on top of my game to being at the bottom of the corporate ladder and not knowing whether I could even do what they needed me to do.
I also moved back home because it was close to my job. It's also 45 minutes away from all my friends who are still in the area. All of a sudden, I was the one left out of all the spontaneous gatherings when a year ago, I was the one calling to get evreyone together. I didn't have anyone I could hang out with unless I made plans in advance, and that's a big change when you used to live with 30 women. I started feeling like my social life was shot and college was the best it would ever get.
Once they started letting people go at work, the stress became too great and I ended up seeking the help of a professional. But the good part is, I got over it, and everyone else can get through it too. Here are some of the things I learned the hard way, and maybe it'll help some of you:
1) Even though you're new to the working world and might not be around a lot of people your age, everyone knows what you're going through since they've all started somewhere. Your coworkers may not be people you can hang out with outside of work, but they can be great for advice.
2) I second the GO OUT. Yeah, you never see your friends...BECAUSE YOU'RE SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING. You'll probably have to make plans in advance, and you might have to hang out with people who aren't your closest friends, but make some calls, send some e-mails, and you'll have a social life. It might not involve partying till 4 am, but going to a movie or going to dinner can also be fun. And when you go out, make a point of meeting new people. You can never have too many friends.
3) Make the most of your money. Travel because you can take a 3 day weekend and not worry about missing class. Buy the fun car that you always wanted. Go to IKEA once a month and redo a room. Take your poor student friends out. Take a class you've always wanted to take, like wine tasting or yoga. Saving money is, of course, the financially responsible thing to do and is important. But when else in your life can you get that Mustang convertible and not have to try to get kids in the back? Want to spend $400 on a treadmill you'll use once a month? If you can afford it, do it, and don't beat yourself up over it because you could've thrown that into a mutual fund. Chances are, your grown-up responsibilities will only go up from here, so enjoy your excess cash while you can. This doesn't mean go wildly into debt, of course, but so what if taking a trip to Vegas postpones buying your first house for one more month? Do it and enjoy it while you can because you're only young (and mortgage-free) once. And it'll help you remember why you're going to work every day in the first place.
Hybrid Mode
