There’s something odd about being in your final year of college. You are technically still a student, but life keeps nudging you with questions like “What’s next?” or “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Honestly, I do not even know what I am eating for dinner.
Final year feels like standing at the edge of a cliff with a head full of LinkedIn buzzwords and a heart full of nostalgia. You are expected to plan your future while simultaneously grieving the end of a life you have just gotten used to. No one warns you about how mentally messy this transition can get.
Let’s talk about the pressure to have a career plan. Some people knew in first year that they wanted to become clinical psychologists or UX designers. Meanwhile, I am out here still deciding whether I should do a master’s, find a job, take a gap year, or just disappear into the Himalayas for self-discovery. This pressure is not just about picking a path, it is about navigating endless micro-decisions like, course versus college, city versus hometown, passion versus stability. Psychology calls this decision fatigue, when making numerous choices depletes your self-control and leads to poorer decisions later (Vohs et al., 2008).
Every time I step out of my room, someone is ready with the classic, “Beta, what is your plan after graduation?” They mean goal, backup, long-term vision, the whole roadmap. Indian families absolutely mean well, they want security for us. But sometimes, in their search for stability, they forget how confusing this time already is. We are still figuring out what we want and it’s not always a one-line answer. This push for clarity can trigger its own anxiety. It feels like if you do not have your life sorted at 21, you are already behind. Here’s the real talk: very few people have it sorted. Most are just better at pretending.
No one tells you that goodbyes come in layers. It’s not just leaving campus or friends, it is leaving parts of yourself behind. The one who lived off maggi and iced coffee. The one who stayed up until 3 a.m. talking about the future like it was a joke. The one who wore the same jeans three days straight because, well, priorities. Psychologists refer to this as transitional grief, the quiet sadness that comes with major life changes and shifting identities.
Here’s the thing no one talks about: most of us feel like we’re silently falling apart. But we smile, post Instagram stories, and keep the “I’m doing fine” front up. Meanwhile, a quiet sadness bubbles inside, a fear of losing who you’ve been and drifting away from your closest friends. Guilt that you’re not doing enough. And if social media shows everyone else with internships, clarity, backup plans, scholarships, it makes you feel even worse. That’s social comparison at work, we measure ourselves against everyone else’s highlight reels, not our own reality (Festinger, 1954) .
If you’re reading this and nodding quietly, I get it. I am there too. It is okay to feel overwhelmed, confused, nostalgic, lost, excited, and scared all at once. That is what transitions are meant to feel messy, emotional, and kind of magical. You do not need a five-year plan. You do not need to feel happy at all times. You do not need to pretend you’re fine just because everyone else looks fine. Sometimes, the most honest thing you can do is sit with your feelings and say, “I do not know, and that is okay.” You are not late. You are just living.
Note by the author
I wrote this because I am living it and I know I’m not the only one. If you’re a final-year student carrying the weight of what comes next while quietly mourning what’s ending, this piece is for you. I hope it helps you feel seen, less alone, and a little gentler with yourself.
References
Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes.
https://www.humanscience.org/docs/Festinger%20%281954%29%20A%20Theory% 20of%20Social%20Comparison%20Processes.pdf
Vohs, K. D., Baumeister, R. F., Schmeichel, B. J., Twenge, J. M., Nelson, N. M., & Tice, D. M. (2008). Making choices impairs subsequent self-control: A limited-resource account of decision making, self-regulation, and active initiative. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(5), 883–
- https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.94.5.883
(This article is written by Ms. Abheri Das Gupta, a final-year psychology student at O.P. Jindal Global University)
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