Graduation Blues

College Life
1

<p>I'm graduating this week and it's supposed to be a happy celebration. I've finished in 4 years, went to a top research university, have a 3.76 GPA, have been in a scholars group through college, wrote a senior thesis that was awarded honors and did over 5 internships and 3 ECs. But I'm just depressed. I'm sad that I didn't get any graduation awards - many of of my friends in my scholars group got an award. I'm angry with myself that I didn't make latin honors (my school within this large university has cutoffs starting at like 3.78 for cum laude). I'm angry that I had to work a work-study job to make money to support myself, unlike many of the other rich kids here, and that my bosses at this job (which I worked at for three years) didn't do anything to thank my for my time on my last day. One of my bosses didn't even come into work. And it's not like I was a bad worker. Both of my bosses went on and on about how they didn't want me to leave. Only my mom is coming to graduation and she's going to be ****ed I didn't win award. And, I'm anxious because I don't have a full-time job offer yet. </p>

<p>Overall, I just feel like a failure, despite many of my achievements. All the late nights in the library. All the coffee, red bull and office hours. I feel like I put in all this effort and I couldn't even get what I ultimately wanted out of my career. What a waste of my time and energy.</p>

<p>Sorry for the self-pitying post. Who else has the graduation blues?</p>

2

<p>I’m sorry you feel this way. But really, you have a lot to be proud of. A 3.76 GPA is very good.</p>

<p>I know how you feel, though. I’ll be lucky to graduate with a 3.4 GPA. If you had told me at the start of college that I would be graduating with a sub-3.5 GPA, I would have been horrified/thought you were joking. I’m far below the Latin honors cutoffs, and for someone who always earned any academic honors available with flying colors, that definitely hurts. Overall, I feel like I could have worked harder. I wish I could just go back and do it all over again.</p>

<p>Like you, I also don’t have a job or grad school plans yet, and I’m going to have to start paying off loans soon, so that is a huge source of stress.</p>

<p>So all in all, I’m not really excited about graduation. However, I don’t feel that my years here were a waste of time and energy, and I don’t think you should feel that way about yourself, either. Just having a degree from a top university is a big advantage, and your GPA is very respectable. I think it’s way too early to say you won’t get what you want out of your career. Although we’re both unhappy right now, I have every faith that things will work out for both of us eventually.</p>