Advice for New Grads: Make Sure to Take Care of Your Mental Health By: Dr. Wendy Rasmussen, Director of Clinical Strategy at SonderMind
Graduation is an exciting time in one’s life, but also marks a major transition that can bring with it a lot of stress. In addition to finishing coursework and figuring out how to wear a cap and gown, there is usually time with extended family and saying goodbye to cherished friends. Most of all, grads are faced with the looming big decisions about the next chapter of their lives and careers and the endless questions they will have to endure from family and friends about “what’s next.”
After many years in mental health working with patients and companies on how to handle big, stressful life moments like graduation, there are a few things that I hope new grads keep in mind to reduce their levels of stress and set themselves up for post-grad success:
- Acknowledge all of your different emotions: Graduation can bring up a range of emotions from happiness and excitement to fear and uncertainty. It is easy to feel all of these emotions over the next couple of months, even some conflicting emotions at the same time. Grads need to acknowledge they are feeling these emotions, even if they are uncomfortable, in order to process them. Talking to a friend, family member or therapist about all the different things you are feeling can help you work through them.
- Get enough sleep: Since your season of “all nighters” has hopefully come to an end, it is important to make sure you are using your nights wisely and getting enough quality sleep in order to function to the best of your ability. A study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that people who were given only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When these same patients resumed a normal, healthy amount of sleep, they had a dramatic improvement in their overall mood.
- Try not to compare to others’ graduation experiences: Some of your friends may already have dream jobs lined up, are taking a gap year, or are fortunate enough to travel for the summer. Or you may be feeling pressure from family members to get a job as soon as possible to ensure financial stability. Everyone’s graduation experience is unique, so check in with yourself to ensure you are doing what is best for you. Take some time to think about what path makes the most sense for your goals and your happiness moving forward, without comparing to what others around you may be doing.
- Practice gratitude: There are a lot of things to be thankful for during this stage of life. Gratitude can be a very powerful tool for managing your mental health and focusing on all of the things you have to be thankful for in your life. Sit down and write out (or even just think through) all the things you have to be grateful for. For example: your education, your accomplishments over the last two to four years, your teachers and professors, your family, a friend you made in school, etc. Focusing on all the good things in your life can help you stay motivated and resilient during this time of change.
- Make time for self-care: During this busy time, it’s important to prioritize self-care. Try to make time for activities that will help you relax or give you energy like taking a walk, reading a book, doing a fun activity with friends, listening to a podcast or exercising outside.
- Talk to someone: A little stress can be healthy and motivating, but if you are feeling especially overanxious or depressed, it may be time to talk to a professional. A therapist can help you work through these feelings of anxiety and help you identify goals and a plan that work for you. You can find a therapist that meets all of your needs and takes your insurance at SonderMind.com, or you can reach out to your school’s health center to see if they have someone you can talk to there.
Graduation is a very exciting, yet challenging time in life, and it can easily wear on your mental health. By acknowledging your emotions, practicing self-care and gratitude, as well as staying true to yourself, you can navigate this important transition with confidence and resilience.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
