The Post-Grad Plan: Experience of an Unplanned Master’s Student

“What are your plans after graduation?” This question began to plague me during my junior year of undergraduate school. My junior year of college I was 20 years old, a dorm RA, an editor for the student newspaper and depressed beyond belief. What are my plans after graduation? How about I get through desk duty tonight and I’ll get back to you, okay? 

I could have taken a stab at what I thought my life would be after graduation back then, but life is ever changing. And while I hate the idea that nothing is permanent, it is true. By the time I started my senior year, I was freshly broken hearted, had cut off some people, and also cut off almost all of my hair. The first semester of my senior year, I was no more sure of my post-grad plans than I had been the last month of my junior year. I was wandering through the fog of whether or not journalism still fulfilled me in the same way it had when I started my degree in 2020. 

My post-grad plans were served up to me on a platter by my undergrad advisor who was, and still is, a big supporter of graduate school. Just apply for one program, at one school. If I didn’t get in, oh well. If I did, great. I went through the process of interviews and personal statements, all the while being asked, “What’s the plan?” I had convinced myself that if I didn’t get into grad school it was okay, that grad school and a master’s degree had never been part of my “plan”.  

I was fortunate enough to be accepted into the program and was given a very generous graduate assistantship. I was going to be a master’s student and have another degree, all within a year of graduating from undergrad. I let out a not so silent breath of relief. What am I going to do after graduation? Why, more school of course! I was saved for one more merciful year. 

Now? That merciful feeling has become a menacing one. Graduate school is almost over and the reminders are everywhere I look. The other day my friend, Shondiin, is driving me and another friend to our grad photoshoot. As we drive along the packed Phoenix freeway, Shondiin asks me, “Tristan, what’s your plan after you graduate?” I froze up for a moment, I still had a summer semester left to complete, but was being asked to look to August. The “post-grad plan” had returned, rearing its ugly head and bearing its teeth. The fact that I remain jobless in the field I’ve dedicated five years of education to stares me right in the face. 

But I am not alone in my anxious feelings. A 2024 health study found that 48% of surveyed students feel increased anxiety, nerves and worry. 28% of those surveyed describe choosing a college as the “original” post-grad pressure, when it came to what was after high school. The pressure is on from a young age. When I look back on 17-year-old me, I can’t believe she didn’t keel over from the stress of high school extracurriculars, maintaining relationships and applying for college. 

From a young age, some form of the question “What’s the plan?” comes up. In kindergarten, we are asked what we want to be when we grow up and, at 5 years old, I wanted to be a ballerina. From third grade to junior year of high school I wanted to be on Broadway, and to give my life to the theater. Now? I just want to be happy in whatever I choose. The truth of the matter, for me at least, is that I have many passions and many hobbies. I can still sing well, I’m pretty good at archery, I love to write and I have many connections in every place. It's become a matter of, what is best now? 

If you were to search up “what is the post-grad plan?” on Google you would come across an article from Honor Society. Their article lists common tips and tricks for getting your footing after graduation, the kind of stuff you see everywhere as a student. The list includes: networking, exploring job opportunities and taking care of yourself. It’s all the same advice that one would get in college. But what are recent graduates doing with this advice?

Some are moving to big cities where their degrees may help them get entry level positions. These cities include: Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and New York City. Others are choosing to move home, cutting down on their cost of living and allowing them to return to their hobbies. In an essay for Business Insider recent post-grade Victoria Heath writes, “Before I graduated, the thought of fitting in all of my hobbies around a job seemed as if it would be a squeeze. I was used to having a looser schedule around my college classes. But with a bit of planning, it's all doable.” It’s important that recent or soon-to-be college graduates make time for things they love. 

There are others though, that have decided to once again further their education. Reporting on TikTok from CBS News and Bloomberg indicates that many college graduates who can’t find work are going to graduate school instead. The comments on the post read, “recession indicator” or “undergrad is the new HS (high school) diploma.” Other comments pointed out that, in recent years, you need a Master’s degree to even be considered as a legitimate candidate for an entry level position. For some, the post-grad plan is more school, in the hopes of strengthening a chance at a decent job in one’s field of study. 

For others, it makes the most sense to be employed in any capacity. However, the current job market is less than favorable. According to a news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the current employment rate in the U.S. has risen to 4.2%, or roughly 7.1 million people. On top of this, the job market has come to a stall, with many companies posting “ghost jobs” (a fake or already filled position that attracts people to the poster’s site) and companies fail to respond to the overflow of applications they receive. According to an article from USA Today, recent graduates’ currently have a higher unemployment rate than the general public, at 5.3%. 

While some may claim that Generation-Z and post-grads are lazy, the truth is that the market is not rewarding the efforts of those who want to put their skills to use. According to an article from the New York Post, Gen-Z is not lazy as Gen-X or Millennials may claim. Instead, the generation is actually more protective of both our mental health and financial well being. For older generations, this appears as laziness or a belief that Gen-Z is better than everyone. When in reality, it is just a matter of wanting to feel happy and fulfilled in today's work environments. 

Of course, I have hopes and dreams and I will do everything in my power to make them possible. Still, the ever-changing job market and uncertain life circumstances can be incredibly challenging for post-grads. I don’t say this to be pessimistic, but I have become more of a realist with age and experience. 

Here is my hot take: The post-grad plan is every plan and no plan. It is the beauty and fear of life, of getting to experience the world. It is every hope and dream we have. Take that gap year. Go to that concert. Have a hobby you love and think could be a career? Try! What is the worst that can happen? Personally? My post-grad plan is to be happy, to have hope and love.