Open The Accessibility Toolbar

Okay, So We’ve Graduated… Now what?

Source: iStock

A real conversation about the aftermath of the degree

We crossed the stage. Turned our tassels. The grad pictures were just right. And just like that…it was over.

I graduated from an HBCU. And if you know, you know.
Leaving that space was like leaving a bubble of culture, care, and chaos that somehow always felt like home. Professors didn’t just teach, they checked in. Strangers became family. The campus felt like a world of its own, where my identity wasn’t questioned or tolerated…it was celebrated.

And when that world suddenly became “the past,” the silence hit differently.

Post-grad life didn’t come with the manual everyone made it seem like it would. There was no instant clarity, no magic opportunity waiting at the end of the stage. Just me, my degree, and a whole lot of unanswered questions. And to be honest, our degrees were mailed so I didn’t even have that!

“What’s next?”
The question everyone kept asking, and honestly, I didn’t know and at times was frustrated because I didn’t know. I wasn’t immediately working in my dream field. I wasn’t instantly thriving. I didn’t have this aesthetic “next chapter” to announce on Instagram. And even though I wasn’t a first-gen college student, and even though I had support, I still felt like I was floating. Ungrounded. Like everyone else had a plan I missed the memo on.

Source: iStock

There were days I felt proud of myself and days I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. I’d scroll through job postings one minute and spiral into imposter syndrome the next. I questioned everything. The work I’d done. The path I chose. The idea that I was supposed to be “set” now that I had the degree.

And the crazy thing is? I know I’m not alone.

Whether you went to an HBCU, a PWI, or anywhere in between, that feeling—of being unsure, of being expected to have it all together—is universal. Graduation gives you the degree, but not the direction. And no one prepares you for the gap between finishing school and finding your footing.

So if you’re in that space right now, here’s what I’ve learned—lessons I’m still living:

Source: iStock

You’re not behind. Everyone’s timeline is different. Just because someone posts a job offer doesn’t mean they’re more prepared or more valuable than you.

Your major doesn’t define you. It’s a starting point, not a box. You can shift, pivot, and explore. It’s your life. I used to be insecure about my major because it wasn’t considered a “serious” career choice or a major worth going to school for but it’s about what you do with it.

You don’t need to have it all together to be moving forward. Confusion doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means you’re growing.

Rest is necessary. Hustle culture will have you burnt out in the name of “grind.” Protect your peace.

Nobody has it all figured out. Not even the ones who pretend they do.

Eventually, I made a choice for myself: I went to grad school.

Not because I had it all planned, (I applied at a time most would consider “too late”) but because I knew I still had more learning and unlearning to do. And yeah…I was scared. Still am. Scared that I’m delaying “real life.” Scared that I won’t live up to not what people expect of me, but what I expect of myself. Scared that even with another degree, I still won’t know what I’m doing.

But I’m also learning that fear doesn’t mean I’m doing it wrong. It means I’m human. It means I care. And it means I’m still showing up even when I don’t have all the answers.

Because at the end of the day, this chapter isn’t about perfection, it’s about permission.
To be uncertain. To be overwhelmed. To change your mind.
To figure it out in your own time.

Source: iStock

So yeah…we graduated. And no, I don’t have it all together. But I’m here. Still standing, still learning, still trying. And that counts for something.

Whether you walked off the stage into a job, into grad school, back home, or into the unknown…you’re doing better than you think. This part of the journey isn’t a detour. It is the journey.

We graduated. Now what?
Now… we breathe. We adjust. We grow.
And we permit ourselves to not know yet—because clarity takes time.

And baby, we’ve got time.

 Kyrah Page is currently a student at Lincoln University. She is also the CEO and founder of her own brand called “Keepin’ It Kultured.” Where she combines art with activism to empower, inspire and educate the Black community. She advocates for change, promotes black positivity, and addresses controversial issues. Kyrah is many things but most importantly she is an activist.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back To Top