Lost in Crafting The Next Chapter After University
- Heartscape Psychology
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
By Heartscape Psychology Intern, Ong Yi Xue
Many would always remind us to start planning early for our life after university so that we could craft our path smoothly upon graduation. But in reality, it is hard. It is not everyone’s cup of tea to think about their life after graduation while studying because of time commitments, anxiety thinking about it, or simply not being ready to ponder such matters. In fact, I believe that everyone starts to craft their next chapter when they are ready, be it whether it is at the start, middle, or end of the university. For myself, perhaps like most people, I have only been seriously considering how I would like my next chapter to be now in my last year of university.
To be honest, it is a struggle for me to navigate this because only in my last year of university did I realize that what I am studying is something that I do not want to pursue as a career in the future. If any of you relate to this, you will probably feel the same as me – feelings of doubt, hesitance, fear, or anxiety – because what is next if I do not want or know what I want to do after university?
Hence, I hope that this blog post could provide a sense of comfort to any of you who are still in the process of crafting your next chapter or motivate any of you to start thinking about your next chapter if you are ready.
Simply put, what can we do after graduating from university? (James Cook University, 2023)
Following our path of study and securing a job that is related.
Trying out a different job from what we have studied.
Doing part-time or ad-hoc jobs.
Having a gap year and chill while doing what we love or experiencing the world.
Pursuing further studies like Part-Time Certifications, Masters, or Postgraduate Studies.
But what should we do if we feel lost in crafting our next chapter?
Taking a moment to reflect if what you are studying now or studied gives you a little spark in your heart, as it will be what motivates you to pursue a career (Kathleen & Corbin, 2023). Reflection questions:
Have you been feeling interested in studying the course materials or do you feel that you find little to no meaning in doing so?
If you have gone for an internship/practicum, do you enjoy what you or other colleagues have been doing? Do you see yourself doing what your colleagues do as a career?
Touch your heart, is there anything else that your heart is calling for?
Trying out different internship opportunities, especially with jobs that you are potentially interested in! (Kathleen & Corbin, 2023)
Some may think that it may be too late to do internships but know that it’s not, as it is better than engaging in a full-time job that we are not interested in. Plus, it is important for us to adopt the learner mindset!
Talk to someone be it your loved ones or professors, because more often than not, they have useful tips on what they observed about your interest or what to do next! (Kathleen & Corbin, 2023)
If you would like more structured guidance, talking to a career coach or field professional is an option as well! (Cage et al., 2021)
If you feel that there are some concerns regarding pursuing your current career path, take the time to ponder what these concerns are, if such concerns could be addressed, or what kind of support you would need to address the concerns.
If you feel that you may be interested in something else, read up on more information about its requirements, career paths, and the possibility of further studies (Urio & Nziku, 2024)
After reading the information, do you feel that it is a path that you would still like to try? Are there any concerns that you could address should you like to switch paths (like expectations, salary difference, delayed employment etc)?
Most importantly, take the time to sit with yourself and discover about yourself!
What are the things that you want or do not want?
What are your strengths and areas of improvement?
What are your interests or hobbies?
What are your boundaries? (As it could translate into our work settings in terms of work hours, tasks, or even salary)
Feeling lost on what we would like to do after university could be very daunting, as it could feel like we are falling behind or that we wasted our years in the university. These are normal feelings that I also experienced myself, and I needed time and support to process and understand them. However, part of our life journey is discovering who we are as a unique individual, and being lost after university is a sign of us trying to learn who we are and who we would like to be. Not everyone has it “all figured out” by university, because only with self-awareness and reflection comes growth and realization.
We would like to take this chance to affirm that you have already done well surviving the years of university. It is not time wasted, but time spent on discovering ourselves. It is never too late to switch our interests or career paths as long as we believe that we can do it! When in doubt, know that there will be people who believe in your capabilities so it is time to believe in yourself too because after all, your life is yours to craft at your own pace 🧡
References
Cage, E., James, A. I., Newell, V., & Lucas, R. (2021). Expectations and experiences of the transition out of university for students with mental health conditions. European Journal of Higher Education, 12(2), 171–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2021.1917440
James Cook University. (2023, August 8). What should you do after graduating from university? https://www.jcu.edu.sg/a-brighter-future/articles/what-should-you-do-after-graduating-from-university
Quinlan, K. M., & Corbin, J. (2023). How and why do students’ career interests change during higher education? Studies in Higher Education, 48(6), 771–783. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2166916
Urio, P. J., & Nziku, C. N. (2024). Career pathways: Studying the factors influencing career choice and change among graduate students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. International Journal of Educational Reform. https://doi.org/10.1177/10567879231222864
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