Today at 9:30 AM, I officially graduated with my Honours BA in Psychology. The convocation ceremony was good, and I’m proud of myself for finishing my degree in three years instead of the usual four. However, now that everything is over, I’ve been feeling unexpectedly sad, lonely, and a little depressed.
I think what hurts the most is realizing that my university life is officially over. I’m going to miss the student life, the freedom, the experiences, and just knowing that I was still in that chapter of my life. I know I can make new memories, but I also know that I can never go back and experience those years the same way again.
What’s strange is that I wasn’t even this sad on my last day of university, when I finished my exams. But today, after convocation, it finally hit me that I’m actually done. I’m not going back next semester. I’m no longer a university student. That chapter of my life is closed, and I think I’m only starting to process it now.
Part of me wonders if I should have taken the full four years instead of finishing in three. I don’t regret graduating early because I know it has its advantages, and regretting it now won’t change anything. Still, I sometimes wonder if I missed out on a year of experiences that I can never get back.
I already have plans for my future, so it’s not like I have nothing to look forward to. I know I need to find a job, start making money, build a career, eventually get married and have a family, and hopefully make my parents proud. Those are all things I want in life. But right now, the thought of moving on from university and entering adulthood feels a little overwhelming. Iguess I’m just missing the old days. It feels like life is moving forward whether I’m ready or not, and I’m not sure how to feel about it.
For those of you who have already graduated, did you feel this way after your convocation? Did it take you some time to adjust to life after university? And for those who graduated early, did you ever wish you had stayed a little longer?
I’d really like to hear your experiences because right now, I’m feeling a little nostalgic about a chapter of my life that I didn’t realize I would miss this much.