I always intended to continue my studies toward graduate school, but as I graduated last December, I knew I’d be taking at least 8 months away from academia. However, I wasn’t prepared for the post-graduation depression I would experience.
I prepared for graduation and time away from school far ahead of time. I switched my healthcare providers to off-campus services. I worked off-campus during my senior year and continued that position after leaving NC State. My friends and social circles were primarily non-NC State students or ones who already graduated.
As an undergraduate I integrated deeply into our campus culture. I utilized our health center and pharmacy, participated in intramural sports, worked in on-campus positions and was a member of multiple clubs. When I graduated, the research and labs I was involved with or helping lead were continuing. I identified with the academia I had been surrounded by most of my life and wasn’t prepared for the shift away.
Over recent years, our campus has made a commitment to supporting the mental health and wellness of its students and athletes. Our athletes are offered specific resources designed to help cope with their common struggles such as goal-setting, focus, depression and adjustment.
Before coming to NC State, I was involved with different competitive sports for 13 years. Even when you change teams, take a season off or get a minor injury, the overall goal is the same; you want to win. When you’re not competing, you’re training or resting to get back out there again. The praise, teamwork and financial incentives are nice additives, but these things don’t hold the same significance without the focus on the competition itself. The drive and focus is what makes an athlete successful.
The sport-to-life transition is noted to impact physical and mental health, as well as impacting social development. Even if the adjustment gets easier with time, the trends of depression, loss and fear for the future are evident.
My graduation and time away from college was a very similar experience to when I transitioned away from competitive sports. While in school, you have set a goal as well — pass your classes and get your degree. The community and networking opportunities are also amazing, but graduating itself is the central focus of higher education.
While there is less research discussing the connection between graduation and mental health, post-college depression isn’t an unfamiliar concept and is an emerging pattern for those leaving academics. While grades themselves don’t define your worth, it is common for recent graduates to have their mental health compromised as school can become deeply ingrained in a student’s identity.
Similarly specialized services as those provided to athletes would benefit our alumni. While there are career services and a newsletter offered, there are no resources that offer guidance or support for the transition after graduation through the Alumni Association.
NC State currently offers free teletherapy sessions to its degree-seeking students. Counseling session services could be extended to our alumni to use after they graduate for the 6 months following graduation while there is access to a student email account. Additionally, there could be a centralized site updated for the University which includes the full range of services available to support alumni.
It’s important to consider how vital campus alumni are to the NC State Community and its future endeavors. During the 2022 Day of Giving, alumni raised $23 million within 24 hours. Significant contributions by alumni have shaped our campus’ priorities, enabling us to begin a real estate development program and provide significant resources to the Caldwell Fellows program.
Alumni have also shown how much they value mental health on our campus through their donations. Last September, alumni Mary Fedewa’s donation enabled NC State Students to access the Headspace app. Our campus should make an effort to prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of our alumni as well.
Article originally published in the Technician, found here.
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