I started college in my late 40s because I knew I would be getting a divorce. I had been a stay at home mom for more than 20 years and my previous job skills were not applicable in the civilian economy. I knew I needed some decent job skills. Soooo yeah, just attending college knowing the direction I was going, and the uncertainty, and knowing I had to support myself was scary as hell. In fact, I did find a good job not too long after I got my Associate's degree. And then the economy tanked and so did my job. So all my worst fears came true. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and I'm Hercules!

I didn't, but many people do - it's a big change to go from academia to work. It passes, even if you don't get the job you wanted for the first few years.

I'm still worry about that and I graduated 9 years ago. Use that feeling to drive you forward and you will have nothing to fear.

No. I had my heart set on joining the Air Force so I started working towards that during my sophomore year. By the beginning of my Senior year, I had already been accepted to AF Officer Training School. I knew that two weeks after graduation I would be at basic training.

Yes, I worried a lot, although it's a long time ago now. My first and second jobs were more or less handed to me, but they were both strictly temporary. My third job was a much bigger hassle, because I did not want yet another temporary position. I found what I was after, but it meant moving to Australia. That made me anxious, but I've had no regrets.

When I graduated, I did not worry about a job. But I did worry about what direction my life was going to take (I really did not know what I wanted to be or become) or how I was going to get there. I was never without work for many, many years.

I went to art school..they didn't like my works, so I told them to fuck off. Went to an art school in Sweden, they loved my work, I thought they were assholes and told them to fuck off, but I stayed there for a year, Illegally!..that was awesome.
No I didn't worry about a damn thing, except for being caught by the cops. Also back then college was cheaper, I wasn't as concerned about debt...or credit for that matter.
I truly feel sorry for grads today..and it pisses me off that you're being Fucked so hard by banks and the Teathugliturd government.

I think that is very common, especially if you don't have a job offer when you graduate or if the economy is stinky. We have record low unemployment, so you should be able to get something - hopefully something you enjoy. LOL For some of us it was when we graduated from High School ....

Being older, there were lots of jobs for engineers when I graduated. Got a job with USDA, and 35 years later retired. My daughter works as an engineer for the Corp of Engineers, and is a branch chief. Not so sure about my grandkids, and what they will do. So far is a mixed bag. Some have good jobs, and others, not so much.

Embrace the change. You had a big change the first day of school. Big change when you started high school. Big change when you started college. Now, its big change time again. Then you'll have the getting married change, the first baby change. and change after change. So hug it to you - its your future.

No I felt godlike . I was so happy to have achieved an education that my mental state was unstoppable. I got a job and had a good career but that was only due to my willingness to move forward with an education. OF course I did not face the high prices today as well as the job market we lack today. I have not impressed college upon my kids as they are smart and creative, in the market today, this is the key, the willingness to do what one must do.

No I felt godlike . I was so happy to have achieved an education that my mental state was unstoppable. I got a job and had a good career but that was only due to my willingness to move forward with an education. OF course I did not face the high prices today as well as the job market we lack today. I have not impressed college upon my kids as they are smart and creative, in the market today, this is the key, the willingness to do what one must do.

I don't think I felt lost? I do remember thinking that being in my field would be great. I'd never had trouble finding a job. Never been refused a job I applied for? So pretty sure of myself. It was 1988. Now? I'd be worried and stressed, but send out the resumes - and have a back up plan for the meantime. I worked Security until I could locate a job in my field. (Local even).

Dude, 14 years after graduating college I still feel lost and nervous... lol
As far as finding something FT; don't despair, make a move if you have to.

No.... i had a job.... it helped me to graduate from millwright to a machinist...

No.... i had a job.... it helped me to graduate from millwright to a machinist...

Yes.

Not for a second. As an undergrad, I was in a computer science internship program and already had a job. For my grad degree, I decided during my clinical internship that I didn't want to be a therapist. I already had an IT consulting gig. I'm ready to retire after this current project is over.

I had a job in my field before I graduated but had to wait 3 months for my licensing and background checks to go through.

I was working for a university so I already had a job. Besides my degree was in European history and there's not much one can do with in undergraduate degree in that field.
My graduate work was for a specific job which required the piece of paper.

Bypassed the college thing... went straight to lost, nervous, and unsure if I would find full time work to avoid the middle man. Been that way ever since.

I never got to go further than 1 year in college.

Graduated with a theatre major. There was no such thing as an available stable full time job in the industry when I did so. We came out knowing that insecure employment was going to be the bulk of our lives. That said, we went in knowing that too. Volunteering to be part of the precariat is a very different thing to having no option but to work contract to contract.

Yes, absolutely. I'm so envious of these people who didn't have this anxiety. I went into teaching and didn't find a job right away. Back then, the common consensus was if you had teaching certification, you could always find a job. But it took me several months to find my first job and a few years to find a job I liked going to. I was poor and miserable and convinced I was somehow not enough - but looking for work, particularly after academia, is such a soul-sucking endeavor. Power through, and things will eventually work out. Sometimes you gotta do something just to get to the next position or until something better comes up, but you'll be okay.