Wednesday, January 7, 2015

My 2015 Preview, Including Tips to Control Your Senior Anxiety

For me, 2015 will be a year full of travel, excitement and adventure.

Many exciting things will happen this year. I will graduate from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May, and while I do not know where I will be five months after the graduation ceremony, I do know where I will be two months after.
As stated, I am a recipient of the Frances L. Phillips Travel Scholarship, and so, I will be traveling through Brasil for approximately three months, which will start in May and end in August. I will be journaling, blogging, vlogging and documenting my adventures while abroad.

I have many ideas and plans for what I want and am going to do once I return, and although I do not have something currently lined up, I am not stressed or anxious. I actually like the freedom to decide where I want to go and what I want to do after university, and I feel no rush to figure things out immediately. How do I remain so calm? Check out my tips after the jump.



TIPS FOR MANAGING SENIOR ANXIETY
  1.  A majority of students will not land their "Dream Job" immediately following university.
    • Sure, your friend of a friend has landed the "best job in the world that pays a lot of money," but most people are still thinking about which Netflix series to watch next, and that is fine. If your "Dream Job" is rejecting you, create smaller goals to achieve your bigger goals. Work as an intern in a similar role to the one you want or consider going to graduate school if you believe the degree will make you look better than other candidates.
  2. It may sound lame, but you can live with your parents again.
    • At first, I thought that moving back in with my parents meant I had failed as a university student, but observing how my sister, Hannah Cranford, handled post-university life has allowed me to see the benefits of the transition. If you have a good relationship with your parents, then they will most likely want you to return anyway. Some benefits include possible free rent and free food.
  3. Where you are and what you do will fluctuate in your 20s, so do not think that you need to find a job or city where you will work and live for the remainder of your life.
    • Most people will work multiple jobs and move to different locations in their 20s, and some will continue to move around. For example, after graduating from UNC-CH, my sister temped as a dental hygienist in Charlotte, N.C., worked at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, worked as a Public Health Intern at UNC Charlotte and enrolled in classes at UNC-C. She worked and enrolled in classes while living at our parents' house. Then, she biked across the country for a couple of months as a member of Bike & Build and is now in the Dominican Republic working as a Community Public Health Educator for the Peace Corps. Her life is not static, but it does not have to be in order for it to be enjoyable.
  4. Finally, remember that no one individual experience is correct.
    • You most likely will not find all of the answers you are looking for by reading this post. My advice may work for some people, but it may also not help individuals that need a job to support themselves immediately. And so, if you are reading this, then you should feel no need to believe my methods are the only correct ways to handle senior-year anxiety. These thoughts have helped me manage my anxiety, and I hope one, if not all, aid others; however, I can only offer one experience, my experience. 
How do you cope with anxiety? Do you know what you are going to do after graduation? Share your thoughts below.
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