The Side Effects of Becoming A College Graduate 

By Melany Martinez

Graduation is a special time in any student’s life, but for Eliana Ramirez, walking across the stage came with more than just a movement of the tassel.

After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from California State University Northridge in 2013, Ramirez did not anticipate how several aspects of life after graduation would impact her mental health, including searching for a job.

“It was overwhelming and stressful applying for jobs, many of the jobs that were hiring required seven years of experience in the field I was aiming towards," says Ramirez. 

As a college student, the thing that is most awaited as you embark on your last semester is the thought of graduating and what is to come. However, there are factors that come with life after graduation that can affect your mental state.

Ramirez thought that graduating would be a happy feeling and something to celebrate, but the thought of not pursuing what she was aiming for in her degree, weighed her down heavily. 

Ramirez knew that it would be difficult to find a job in the field of her major following graduation. The stress levels of being fresh out of college, with no real experience, were something that she encountered multiple times.

"Even though I felt prepared and had completed several internships as an undergrad, it was still discouraging to not be able to get a job as quickly as I would have wanted," said Ramirez. 

Luckily, after five months Ramirez was able to secure her first job as a case manager for an adult outpatient mental health program. After dealing with mental health issues herself, she knew that she wanted to be able to help others in uplifting themselves and not giving up when they feel at their lowest. 

“Since I was in middle school, I always knew I wanted to be a therapist or a psychologist, and helping people in the community which led me to go back to school and get a masters degree in social work,” said Ramirez.

It was very hard for her to transition from feeling like she was stuck in a hole and not making progress, to being right where she was supposed to be. 

Knowing that she got the job of her dreams, Ramirez began to feel as if she had accomplished something and her mental health changed as she continued working with kids and adults. 

“I was proud of myself for finally getting a job in my field,” said Ramirez, “No matter how long it took me to get into a good mental health state I knew I would end up where I needed to be.”