Feeling lost after graduation? Here’s what I did.

If you're reading this, you're going to be okay.

That’s because you’re taking the time to determine whether feeling lost is normal after hitting a graduation milestone.

Feeling lost doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It just means something better is waiting for you.

A few months ago, I couldn't wait until my exams were over, and now I'm wondering where all the time went.

For the past few years, my life as a Food, Nutrition & Culinary Science student from Temasek Polytechnic has been centred around essay deadlines, maintaining an active social life and attending lectures on time. While being a polytechnic student is easily the best time of my life, I knew that being in the food and nutrition industry wasn't for me.

With some extra time, I signed up for a Digital Marketing Course organised by Hatch. Though the course was only ten weeks, it taught me everything I needed about marketing basics. From equipping us with the right tools to reach specific audiences through various projects, I sharpened soft skills such as presenting, communicating and teamwork. Upon graduation from the course, students are placed on an internship to strengthen their professional profile. I had two options to do my marketing training, and one of them was at Wantedly.

Here I am, as a Marketing Intern and in the blink of an eye, I'll be concluding my internship. On top of learning how to market for Wantedly, some of my memorable experiences include trying out new ways to reach out to our audience and playing a role in crafting marketing strategies. Here are some projects that I’m proud of:

• 5 signs of quiet firing that our audience can look out for TikTok: this was the first Tiktok that I’d planned together with my team, and it went viral ~
  
• Halloween TikTok: I just loveee how everyone is so dressed up, and looking cute!!!
  
• Weekly TuesdayTips - tips to stay organised at work: as someone who likes things to be neat and tidy, of course, I have to include this
  
• Weekly Hiring Round Up - World Cup 2022: this was one of the best-performing content I created so it’s worthy of a shout-out!

All of that wouldn't be possible without the incredible people in my team! Shout-out to my mentor for the constant reminders (your patience too!!! as I can be blur sotong at times), which helped me stay focused and on track with my tasks.

My life has turned out differently than I had imagined, but I'm glad the twists and turns happened. If you're wondering, "Will everything be okay if you don't know what to do after graduation?" — the short answer is yes. The longer answer is it's complicated, but still, yes. Here are the reasons why:

A gap year isn’t a bad idea (REALLY)

First things first, we could all use a break. Take this period of postponement before you jump into another chapter to chase your passions, learn a skill or do whatever they may be. Often, we regret the things we didn't do more than what we've done.

We’re all in this together

We’ve all struggled in one way or another with not knowing who we are or where we’re headed. Lessen this discomfort by talking to a trusted someone. It’s kind of like the pressure cooker. If you don’t take the lid out periodically, steam builds up, causing stress. Letting it out, on the other hand, helps you process your worries.

With how connected we are because of the internet, there are plenty of online communities - people experiencing exactly what you're going through - to be a part of. They rant, share resources and perk each other up.

You’re growing slowly but surely

Feeling lost forces you to look at the situation and find the lessons, providing opportunities for self-reflection. Looking below the surface, you can identify your inner strengths and focus on what's important for you as you take the next step.

I started out feeling ambiguous about how everything will pan out, but I realized that being lost can be the turning point of finding out who I truly am and what I genuinely want to do. Though it took some time, I came out of it with plenty of new insights.

Wantedly was a big part of my journey, and I'm thankful for this internship experience. I wouldn't be who I am today without Andrew (for being the #bestboss) and Amirah (the best mentor anyone could've asked for). This may be the end of one chapter. However, a new journey awaits, and I'm ready to take on the challenge!