If You’re Freaking Out About Graduating College, This Is What You Need To Remember

First of all, take a deep breath.
Second of all, know this: you will be fine.

This is the moment you’ve probably been waiting for/simultaneously dreading since you very first freshman lecture, am I right? The moment when your afternoon naps and Wine Wednesdays become somewhat less acceptable. The moment when wearing pj’s for an entire day, or staying up until 3AM, or eating pizza for breakfast are no longer productive, normal habits.

Walking across that stages means you are finally a legitimate, real-life human that is required to participate in the act of adulting on the daily.

…Sh*t.

Yeah, I get it. I was there too. We all were, or will be at some point. And this is terrifying.

There’s probably a thousand questions rolling around your head. Am I ready for this? What’s my next step? Did I do everything I should have? Where will I go from here? How do I adult? WHAT IF I TRIP ON THE GRADUATION STAGE???? (Or maybe that last one’s just me.)

Regardless, you probably have to-do sticky notes sprinkled all about your room, or a ‘pre-graduation bucket list’ taped somewhere on your wall. Or maybe you’re in full-fledged lazy mode—Senoritis at its finest. Whatever stage you’re in, you can’t deny the fact that this transition is about to be the biggest one in your life so far. And as nonchalant as you try to act, you’re totally freaking out.

But hey, guess what? That’s okay. You’re okay.

It’s perfectly acceptable to feel like a purposeless, super anxious weirdo right now. You don’t have all the answers, and you’re not supposed to. Maybe you have a job lined up—congratulations! But maybe you’re still trying to decide between a job and grad school, taking a year off to travel or jumping right into the 9 to 5. Or maybe you’re rethinking the whole thing, and want to head into a completely different career path.

It doesn’t matter where you are, how much of your life is together, or if you even have a clue what you’re doing—you’re still going to make it. Because you already have.

Half the battle is enrolling in college, seeing it through, and getting to the point where you can walk across the stage with a diploma in your hands. That’s dedication. That’s an honor. That’s a battle won. And even if you don’t have a direction, a set plan for what comes next, you’ve still made it so far.

And for that you should be proud.

So please stop freaking out. You might know what lies ahead, or if you’re like the majority of the world, you’re still trying to map out your way. And that’s okay.

Life is full of turns and twists, plans we make and new plans we create when things don’t go our way. You have already survived the hardest part: balancing your schoolwork and your partying (just kidding!) But seriously, you’ve completed your studies, you’ve worked your butt off, and you’ve made it.

So take a deep breath and be excited for days to come.
Being an adult isn’t as bad as you think.