University students in Wales speak of isolation after graduating

Students are often told their university days are the best of their lives.

But after graduating, the "post-university blues" mean some students feel anxious about what's to come, said psychologist Dr Nia Williams.

One student said she felt like a "failure" after seeing friends get jobs sooner than her after graduating.

Mental health charity Mind encouraged students to avoid putting pressure on themselves after leaving university.

Charlotte Jennings, 24, graduated from Bangor University in 2021 and said: "The worst part about leaving university was you lose the community that you've spent the past three years building up.

"It's a very lonely thing that nobody is talking about. You go to university, and that's the first time you're away from home and you have a great time.

"But then you're back to the start again, like 'what do I do now?' There's no direction and I felt very lost."

She added: "When you're living at university, you walk down the street and see 10 people you know.

"You don't realise how much that's going to change and how isolating it is when you're not a student any more."

Annie Smith, 23, from Tennessee in the US, graduated from Cardiff University earlier this year.

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Her visa expires at the end of January and she has applied for a two-year graduate visa so she can stay in the UK and look for a job.

She said: "At first leaving university felt very freeing, not having any deadlines and being able to do what you want.

"But I think after a few weeks reality starts to set in. If you don't have a job yet you start to feel like a bit of an imposter."

She said: "In general, I think so much of it comes down to looking what your peers are doing now, and being like I must be doing something wrong because they have a job already.

"So, on the one hand, I've only finished university recently, but I have people on my course that have been doing jobs for over two months.

"They're doing great work, and seem already really successful. I feel like a bit of a failure."

Annie called on universities to provide more alumni support for students.

"You get so much support when you're a student, and as soon as you've finished your course that all just stops," she said.

"You've paid all this money to universities, and then all of a sudden to have radio silence, feels a bit strange."

Sufyaan Niazi, 25, said he felt an "emptiness" after graduating from Bangor University.

He said: "When you go from finishing university, to not doing a great deal, you lay stagnant for a while.

"You can't help but compare yourself to others who are getting jobs.

"Moving home was difficult, it was a reverse culture shock after living with friends for four years. You feel like you've taken a few steps back in a way."

He also spoke of a lack of direction post-university.

"It was a very big time of uncertainty, when you've been building yourself to a goal for four years.

"The only way I can describe it is like losing someone, and going through the grief process."

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Meanwhile, Sakib Imran Ali, who graduated from Bangor University in 2020, said the first six months after he returned to Bangladesh were "terrible".

"The jobs that I was getting were not related to my degree," he said.

Dr Nia Williams, a lecturer and researcher who specialises in the mental health of children and adolescents at Bangor University, said it was common for students to feel anxious after leaving university.

She said: "A lot of people do feel the blue of missing that university life, and thinking 'gosh now its time for me to stand on my feet after being in university'.

"On top of this, you've got so many students that already suffer with a mental health problem. You bring that into it as well, it can be extremely difficult and a big challenge for many students."

She said graduates who were struggling should avoid being too hard on themselves, not compare themselves with others and stay in contact with their peers after leaving university.

Simon Jones, head of policy at Mind Cymru, said the period following graduation can feel "bewildering".

"This can feel stressful, or affect how you feel about yourself, but it's important to remember that many people take months or even years to work out their next steps.

"Lots of graduates describe the process of finding a career as trial and error. Most students don't have a road map planned out - it's important to not put pressure on yourself."

Cardiff University said it sends information about dedicated alumni events, and the many other ways to engage with their alumni community.