‘Adulting’ In Your Last Term Of Uni – And How Not To Freak Out!

Growing up is something that we all have to deal with. However, usually it just happens, and you don’t even notice it until a big change is about to occur. Then you realise that the safe, secure world of education that you have become accustomed to is about to end and you’re going to have to embark on a new journey.

This fear of the unknown is not unusual. In fact it’s incredibly commonplace, especially when a big change is imminent. You simply have to learn how to handle it and, if you can manage that, you will be well on your way to building up your resilience for the truly tough times to come.

Top freakouts about ‘adulting’ in your last semester include:

• Losing touch with the great friends you have made.
• Not knowing what you are going to do for a career.
• Not being able to find a job.

Let’s address each one and put your mind at rest.

Losing touch with the great friends you’ve made

You left high school behind and made it this far, and you still have your school friends to count on. This is no different. You may be moving to different parts of the country and doing different things with your lives, but that doesn’t mean you’re all going to forget one other instantly.

Still really worried? Try these tricks:

Make staying in touch a habit. Set aside 15 minutes of each day to send out your feelers.

• Make those phone calls
• Send messages
• Email

However it is you reach out, make it a priority. The more you reach out, the more people will reach back.

Note down birthdays. Ensure you have everyone’s birthday noted on your calendar. And don’t just send a message on Facebook. Make it personal; send a card or a small gift. People will appreciate the small gesture and it will help you all stay in touch.

Be available. Of course, you can’t drop everything immediately if someone needs you, but answering their phone calls or their SOS messages in a timely manner will reassure them that they are valued.

Not knowing what you’re going to do for a career

So many adults don’t have a clue what they are going to do next and hate the dead-end jobs they’ve found themselves stuck in. Rest assured: you don’t have to know, aged twenty-one, what it is you want to do with the rest of your life.

But how to narrow your focus?

Write down a list of your strengths and investigate which industries might draw on them.

Evaluate everywhere you have ever worked or volunteered, writing a pros and cons list for each place. Use these to guide you with what to look for in future companies, or what to avoid.

Use your contacts, your friends and family, and talk to as many different people in as many different industries as you can. Ask them to list the pros and cons of their jobs. Find out how they got to where they are and how they started out.

Can you turn your hobby or your passion into a job? Do you write? Are you artistic? Are you creative?

Consider the type of environment that each potential industry would have you work in. If you prefer to fly solo, maybe a job where you have to work in a team isn’t for you. If you like being outdoors, don’t confine yourself to an office situation.

Not being able to find a job

You will find something. It might not be your dream job, or in the industry you want to spend your working life in, but a foot in the door is better than nothing. Besides, it’s less stressful to change jobs once you’re in one than it is to find one in the first place.

Finally, you don’t have to make a decision straight away. Why not consider taking a gap year to think about what you want to do? You can volunteer, do seasonal work or go travelling. The world is your oyster right now; make the most of all opportunities that come your way.

CV-Library is the UK’s leading independent job board. For more expert advice on job searches, careers and the workplace, visit their Career Advice pages.