[CHAT] Life After School
School can seem like the longest time of your life, especially when you’re still in it. The Monday-to-Friay 9am to 3:30 pm routine can seem like it could continue forever, and homework, responsibilities and social drama can push the prospect of graduating into the dim corners of your mind.
If you were anything like me, by the time you in year 12, you were absolutely raring to graduate. The minute my last exam ended and the invigilator called out ‘pens down!’ I was like:
HELLO INDEPENDENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!
But once you graduate highschool, suddenly a million options open up in front of you. Do you go straight into higher education? If so, is it university? TAFE? And which one do you choose? Do you take a gap year? Find work? Fall on the floor crying because you’re having a quarter-life crisis??
The uncertainty may not stop there. You could be one of the lucky people who immediately finds their true calling - or you could be lucky and be one of those people that is totally OK with not knowing! Or you could have an existential crisis in the middle of studying/working/gap-year-ing (that’s a word now) because you aren’t sure about what you’re doing.
And of course, the post-highschool experience could not be complete without – dun dun DUN –Sudden Responsibilities!! You now have to actually care about your own education! Pay your own bills and buy your own groceries! Have a car of your own and look after it! Maybe you have even started a family! You are now a Fully Functioning Adult apparently, even though a few months ago you stress-ate a tub of ice-cream and went to bed at 3 am.
WOW - that really made everything sound really stressful, this is the best time of our lives right?
The gopod news is that with some confidence, positive self-talk, the right support, good people around you and spinkling of luck it really will be a great time. Will be talking about all this and more on Monday the 8th of December at 8pm right here!!!!
Join us if you’re looking for answers, advice or maybe even just a place to rant, as we grapple with Life After School
For me the biggest thing has been travelling! Experiencing the world as much as you can really opens up your mind and helps you understand your own life and direction.
Along with the newfound independence life after school gives you comes newfound responsibility, which can be pretty stressful! What are some tips you have for relaxing and de-stressing when the idea of fledging adulthood becomes a bit much?
I personally like to destress by tuning out with gaming or tv shows. Taking to someone about what is stressing you is also a good idea.
Along with the newfound independence life after school gives you comes newfound responsibility, which can be pretty stressful! What are some tips you have for relaxing and de-stressing when the idea of fledging adulthood becomes a bit much?
Honestly, I have to tune out from all of them every once in a while to de-stress. I take time out to dedicate to myself - make some great food, read a nice book, go exploring someplace I've never been: just knowing I don't have to do anything for anyone other than myself is a great antidote
Along with the newfound independence life after school gives you comes newfound responsibility, which can be pretty stressful! What are some tips you have for relaxing and de-stressing when the idea of fledging adulthood becomes a bit much?
Chilling out by doing nothing at all. Although I read, nap, or listen to music from time to time, it's always nice to sit down and do absolutely nothing 
Along with the newfound independence life after school gives you comes newfound responsibility, which can be pretty stressful! What are some tips you have for relaxing and de-stressing when the idea of fledging adulthood becomes a bit much?
It can definitely get to be a bit much sometimes! It's a tough period to manage, half of me wants to keep partying and living as a carefree young adult but the other half is pushing for me to take more responsibility and start planning for the future and embracing adulthood. It can be really conflicting, but I think through time I've learnt to take more joy from the responsibilities of adulthood. I still need to relax though, but instead of clubbing it'll be more like a fishing trip or sailing... and yep I am starting to sound like an old man haha!
Along with the newfound independence life after school gives you comes newfound responsibility, which can be pretty stressful! What are some tips you have for relaxing and de-stressing when the idea of fledging adulthood becomes a bit much?
I think it's important to take time out to do the things you really enjoy is the best de-stress method when it comes to tackling being a responsible adult (though whether I am or not is highly questionable :P)
Hey everyone, sorry to join the chat quite late 🙂
Along with the newfound independence life after school gives you comes newfound responsibility, which can be pretty stressful! What are some tips you have for relaxing and de-stressing when the idea of fledging adulthood becomes a bit much?
I agree with @Chessca_H it's best to take time out to do the things you love. I also think it's good to speak to people going through similar experiences because you often find you're not the only one stressing 🙂
We seem to have a lot of very self-aware people on tonight's chat!! It's great 🙂
@redhead That's a good attitude to have about everything I think!! It's best to focus on yourself and your health before anything else
While some of us manage to escape it, a lot of us fall victim to the dreaded quarter-life crisis at some point after we finish school. Is this something you or someone you know have experienced before? How did you/they get through it?
Even tho I haven't figured out what I want to do it didn't hit me as a crisis. I was pretty relaxed about it and had lots of other stuff to focus on. Getting a career became secondary to my mental health issues
@FItzChivalry its great to hear you came out so strong in the end!!
@Chessca_H I think that thought pulled me out of my crisis honestly!!
While some of us manage to escape it, a lot of us fall victim to the dreaded quarter-life crisis at some point after we finish school. Is this something you or someone you know have experienced before? How did you/they get through it?
I went through this for a while, and eventually I started getting more involved in things I was passionate about and decided that I could figure it all out at a later point in time 😛 I also learned during this time that sometimes everything becomes a bit too stressful/anxiety-inducing to face alone, so when things get tough, seek help!!
@Myvo I've had a lot of experiences I otherwise wouldn't have because of my friends' interests in them!! And guidance counsellors and such can give good advice, especially about what you can do with what you've achieved so far
I don't have anyone 😞 but my casemanager is going to help me figure out what I want to do at tafe when I'm ready for it
@redhead I know how you feel! Tafe is a great place to meet like-minded people though so I'm sure you'll have a similar experience that I did when I was going through the same thing
A lot of us seem to be pretty independant, but its good to see that most of you seem to have at least one person to talk to about where you're going!
While some of us manage to escape it, a lot of us fall victim to the dreaded quarter-life crisis at some point after we finish school. Is this something you or someone you know have experienced before? How did you/they get through it?
While some of us manage to escape it, a lot of us fall victim to the dreaded quarter-life crisis at some point after we finish school. Is this something you or someone you know have experienced before? How did you/they get through it?
Yup, this happened to me during my first year of uni. Having just accepted that I chose what I chose, I think that having social expectations and being sad about my choices was quite a struggle for me. So, I didn't do so well at all that year. But I went to a guidance counsellor, went to a few student workshops run by my uni's student services, as well as applied for alternate examination settings to get myself on track. Needless to say, it all worked out 
While some of us manage to escape it, a lot of us fall victim to the dreaded quarter-life crisis at some point after we finish school. Is this something you or someone you know have experienced before? How did you/they get through it?
I definitely went through this! I moved out of home and lived with some... less than respectable characters... Decided I would throw away my studies and didn't really care what happened after! Ended up taking a year and a half off, struggled through a lot of it but came out the other side with some pretty strong conviction for my future. I am very lucky though, I have seen a lot of friends that get stuck in a rut and still haven't been able to see the other side of it yet. It's so easy to get lost in this world!
