A Case of the Senior Blues: How to Combat Comparison, Self-Doubt, and Career Anxiety
This past week I started my senior year. My anxiety and fear of change make me want to start that sentence with “unfortunately.” Unfortunately, I started my senior year. Unfortunately, I began my last chapter as a Grand Valley State University student. Unfortunately, I am no longer allowed to think of my post-grad life as a distant, far-off reality. I do not believe I am alone in this use of the word “unfortunately” and that is what is truly unfortunate. What should be the first chapter of an exciting book that can now be written after all of our hard work is something we are all too afraid to even open. Why is this? My take is that comparison, self-doubt, and career anxiety are ranking higher on our lists than the possibility of the start of something great.
Comparison, a Not-So-Silent Killer
I recently logged into LinkedIn to check on my account. Instead of a routine acceptance of connection requests and looking at my activity (I’m very popular these days) I was met with an abundance of “As my internship comes to a close I would like to thank…,” “I am so excited to begin my new position at…,” and “I have been awarded with a new opportunity…” messages in my feed. I would be lying to you if I didn’t say that my feeling of excitement for fellow classmates outweighed the overwhelming sense of disappointment in myself. These days I would take the Instagram model comparison game over this.
A study by HELP University was one of the very few studies I found that dives into undergraduate student comparison. The author writes that their findings, “showed that mattering played an important role in determining self-evaluation and comparative self-criticism [33]. This can be further elaborated by saying people who felt they mattered to others will be reflected by a positive self-view and acknowledged themselves as the way they were…”
To summarize, it is not the comparison that is the problem but more importantly where it stems from. Surrounding yourself with people who make you feel good can combat your own feelings of… well… not feeling good. We have all heard our mothers say “you are who you hang around” but this may be one of the many things she was actually right about. So what do we do? Surround yourself with people who lift you up, who believe in you, and who care about your well-being more than your LinkedIn posts.
Self-Doubt… Stop Lying to Yourself
The senior class has been through nearly 16 years of education. We have written 12-page essays in a day, we juggle jobs and never ending assignments, we ate at Kleiner, and we survived it all . Yet, it seems that all of the credentials we have accumulated are simply not enough. Not enough to not doubt ourselves, to lie to ourselves, that is. Self-doubt is a plague driven by what seems to be the impending doom of a 9-5. The worry does not lie in whether or not we can work eight hours, but whether or not we know what we are doing in those eight hours. This is where the anxiety ridden questions lie.
However, it may be comforting to know that 70% of employees have experienced self-doubt according to a blog by The University of Tenneesee Chatanooga. That means that the people we look up to are feeling the exact same way. This goes to show that even landing that dream job will not rid you of a lack of confidence. It is up to you to believe in yourself. The word on the street is that it takes accomplishing small, achievable steps, remembering how far you have come, and building relationships with positive people will aid in chipping away at the nagging doubts in our heads. Don’t quit now! We all deserve to feel like the bosses we really are.
Here We Go Again: Career Anxiety
Let’s see if this rings a bell: “What am I doing after I walk across the stage; where am I going to live; can I even afford to live; where am I going to work; how hard is an interview; will anyone actually hire me; I don’t even know what I want to do; am I going to be stuck in an office chair; how will I decorate my cubicle; will I even get a cubicle??? I have to buy a whole new wardrobe; professional clothes are so expensive; my LinkedIn sucks; I think I might just move to Hawaii and escape the corporate world.”
A mouthful of thoughts, right? This is exactly what comes to mind when college seniors hit the pillow at night. No matter the amount of time you contemplate the answers, there will never be one. Questions about the future simply won’t have answers until you get to live out these experiences. The good news is that we can find comfort in this. Worrying will not change what might or might not happen to you. Really, the only thing that it will achieve is giving you a headache and taking time away from the present. However, we can set ourselves up for some good odds.
Let’s break down a couple things that we can have control over.
LinkedIn: Build up your LinkedIn presence by posting wins (big or small), making more connections, and build rapport with people who are doing what you want to be doing.
Education: It seems obvious, but by putting real effort into your classes you will gain knowledge. Flex your brain further by asking your professors how you can be better. When looking for jobs they are looking at that brain of yours! Exercise it!
Experience: We know how hard it is to land an internship. That doesn't mean you still can't gain experience. Offer your skills to businesses, clubs, or professors to gain practice in your field and collect the products of that hard work to show employers.
Portfolio: Employers want to see what you have done, and you have a right to show it off! Create a website for yourself that hosts all of the projects, classes you have taken, and information about yourself as a one-stop-shop for hiring managers.
A recent GVSU grad told me, “An opportunity meant for you will not pass you by.” I think I audibly sighed. I sighed with relief for the future me. Someone who was just in my shoes got to that post-grad life. All we can do is look back and realize that we have never not made it through. A 100% track record seems like pretty good odds to me. I think despite the comparison, self-doubt and career anxiety we will once again, make it through.
About Claire
Claire Spitz is a senior pursuing a degree in Advertising and Public Relations with an emphasis in PR. This will be her second semester in GrandPR, where she previously served as an Account Associate with an Emphasis in Design. This year, she will take on the role of Firm Editor. Claire is passionate about Public Relations, specifically in social media management and content creation. She has previous experience managing all Panhellenic digital media outlets for the year of 2023 and is now serving as their Social Media Analyst for the fall. After graduation, Claire hopes to pursue PR in the health, beauty, or entertainment industry.