PBA students reflect on upcoming graduation

While the season leading up to college graduation is often seen as a time filled with excitement, the reality is often more complex. Many seniors approaching graduation experience anxiety, stress, and overwhelming emotions.

College graduation is often looked at as a time filled with excitement. The reality for many seniors is often different. Many struggle with anxiety and stress during their senior year. Photo Credit: Pexels.

Josie Mae Wells and Caleb Cauley are two seniors at Palm Beach Atlantic University navigating these emotions. They currently serve as Resident Coordinators at PBA.

“Graduation is like a cloud that hangs over you the whole time,” Cauley said.

Rose Vassell, director of Counseling and Wellness at PBA, said the semester before graduation is one of the most anxious times in a student’s college career.

“Many students feel as if they are running out of time and realize they have to meet all the requirements to graduate. Students who have procrastinated often feel the most anxiety,” Vassell said.

According to a report from Handshake, 57 percent of the Class of 2025 students feel pessimistic about their future career. They mainly point out competition for jobs, student loan debt, the rise of generative AI and the current political climate as the four main causes for their pessimistic view.

Of the group of students who feel pessimistic about their future careers, about 65 percent say that they feel pessimistic because of the competition for jobs, leading to anxiety.

Cauley began feeling stressed about graduation when he started applying for jobs last November. Balancing job applications with academic and student leadership responsibilities added to the pressure.

“It was a tough period. I was very stressed about the future. That whole season was a lot for me on top of all my other responsibilities,” Cauley said.

A few months later, Cauley received a job offer to stay at PBA in the fall. He said the offer helped reduce some of his anxiety about the future.

“The offer has made things much lighter, and I have been able to focus more on school and wrapping up relationships,” Cauley said.

Wells, on the other hand, began feeling stressed later in the academic year. She said uncertainty about the future has been the main source of her feelings of overwhelm.

“Until March, I thought I would cross each bridge when I got there. Now it feels like I am crossing 20,000 bridges at the same time. It is a very difficult balance,” Wells said.

She has found it challenging to balance her current responsibilities as a senior with the demands of job hunting and applying for graduate programs. The large number of tasks has contributed to her stress.

“I try to focus on the present, the future and the past all at once. I want to reflect and be thankful for the time I have had, but I also need to take action for my future and meet schoolwork deadlines,” Wells said.

Both Wells and Cauley have taken a proactive approach to make the transition post-graduation smoother. They applied for jobs early, allowing themselves to focus more on the present.

Caluey emphasized the importance of intentional actions to manage stress while prioritizing what will matter in the long term. He said he developed coping tools during his junior year, a time filled with heavy coursework and responsibilities.

“I have had many situations during my senior year where I could have been more stressed, but I have learned to cope with it,” he said.

Cauley said learning to say no and focusing on relationships that will last after college has helped. He also makes time to recharge alone, which helps him feel calmer and less overwhelmed. Going on walks a few times each week has been helpful for him.

Wells similarly highlighted the importance of spending time with people who bring peace and energy. After building a large community during her first two years through student leadership, she entered her senior year with a different mindset.

“I wanted to make the most out of my senior year. I learned to set boundaries for myself and prioritize things and relationships that make me calm and give me good energy,” Wells said.

Vassell explained that procrastination is a key source of stress associated with graduation. Uncertainty about the future is another source of anxiety for many seniors. Vassell said there has been a shift since COVID-19, with more students seeking counseling.

“Researchers are still exploring, but it seems as if students are not as resilient as they were before COVID-19. Students are more anxious now,” she said.

To manage anxiety, Vassell emphasized the importance of avoiding procrastination. Starting assignments early and keeping up with graduation requirements and deadlines are key strategies.

“When your mind knows that you are going to graduate, it can slow things down. You have to hit the ground running. You cannot lag behind, because if you do, it is going to catch up with you,” Vassell said.

She underscored the importance of talking to someone, whether a counselor or a close friend. Counselors, she said, can help students process their emotions and reduce anxiety.

“Since you are so close to the situation, you sometimes do not see what is going on. If you are not comfortable talking to a counselor, finding a friend who is on track is helpful,” Vassell said.

According to Vassell, friends can offer advice and share what has worked for them. They can provide perspective and strategies that help manage the emotional load.

Having conversations with friends has been helpful for both Wells and Cauley. Those conversations reminded them they were not alone in their struggles.

“Conversations with my friends have helped me to not

feel alone in my emotions. I have been able to better navigate through those emotions, and we have helped each other to deal with them,” Cauley said. “Once you start having those conversations, you realize more people than you think are struggling with the same emotions.”

By Hedda Jarhall