Managing the End of Your Time at College or University

When your time in college or university is coming to an end, it can be a period of mixed emotions, confusion and often anxiety. In the lead up to this time, you may be dealing with exam stress, deadlines and decisions about your future. All of this happens in the same timeframe, and it can be overwhelming in some instances. This period brings with it a large transition, not just for your responsibilities, but life in general, regardless of circumstance.

What happens at the end of the academic year?

At the end of the academic year when you’re preparing to leave college or university, on paper it seems the same as any other academic year, with end of year assessments and the like, but the difference is stark.

To begin with, at the end of your time at college or university, you face the idea that the years you have spent during this period of education have all led to this moment. Your education at these levels has been all about preparing you for the point you leave, regardless of what that step may be. For university students, it may involve completing a dissertation, for college students, it could be the completion of a large set of coursework and/or exams. Because of this, these exams and deadlines tend to bring a different type of pressure and stress which are often incredibly overwhelming. Teachers, tutors, parents and peers will constantly preach about how important this period is, further amplifying the pressure. However, it can be managed.

Throughout the academic year, you will have been figuring out what you want to do after college or university. Whether it's to continue in your education, find a job or take a year out. If you are aware of what you want to do upon leaving education, you can research what is specifically required to progress and begin to plan. If you are still unsure what you want to do after college or university, the pressure to achieve certain grades to requirements may feel more intense.

Once exams have been completed and deadlines have been met, you will no longer be a student at this level of education. You will have an element of freedom whilst you wait for your results. Although waiting for results may cause anxiety, you can focus on socialising and enjoy your free time to relax. Making the most of this time can remove the worry from your mind, settle you and ultimately benefit your mental health and wellbeing tremendously.

Talk about the next steps

Whilst we have covered what happens at the end of the academic year, the steps afterwards are what the entire year has been building up to. Regardless of it you are a university or college student, you will have been preparing for one of a few things which might include:

• Preparing for the next level of education – The specific course you are wanting to do (undergraduate or postgraduate), the location of the course, if you need to prepare to move away, apply for loans, etc.

• Preparing for a career – Deciding on a specific career path and how you will enter this industry, identifying potential employers and possible entry jobs.

• Year out – You may be unsure of what you want to do and take more time to assess your options or feel that after an intense period of education you want to take some time to focus on something else before moving on to the next phase.

Regardless of the choice made, you need to make sure you take your time and carefully consider what is best for you going into this next phase of your life. The next step could mean big changes of moving on from education or living in an entirely new location.

Break things down

When you are coming to the end of your time in university or college, regardless of your choice of what’s next, it is good to take stock and assess the next few months. The end of your time at these institutes will come in stages so you can view it as such and prioritise as necessary.

Prepping for exams and deadlines

This period will arrive very quickly and be over in a flash. If you have stayed on top of coursework, planned appropriately and left yourself the appropriate space for revision, you will be relieving a lot of pressure and make this period more manageable. To help break this period down and better manage your exams, read our Exam Stress and Deadlines guide.

Time to focus on yourself and relaxing

Coming out of a period as stressful as end of year exams and deadlines, it is important to take stock, focus on yourself and do what you enjoy. You may feel extremely drained after final assessments; you may have isolated yourself or restricted yourself from partaking in hobbies and interests. Do things you have been meaning to, such as getting back to hobbies, interests and passions whilst you can rest, relax and reset your mental state.

Understand the next step

Whilst you will have time for yourself between assessments and results to relax, there will come a time where you need to review what is required for what you want to do next. In the case of going on to the next level of education, you may need to assess living arrangements, locations, loans, costs and course options. You do not want to end up in a situation where you have left arrangements too late, and you then begin scrambling to get arrangements in place or even miss out entirely to arrange something. Even if in a worst-case scenario where you do not achieve the results necessary to progress to the next level of education, it would be advisable to begin making these arrangements to avoid any last-minute panic.

If you however are preparing to go into the world of work after this stage of education, you should do the necessary research into your best options. What is a good starting point? Would this career suit your desire, passions and skills? How do I enter this career? Before leaving your university or college, they can provide you with some support on this, but if you need additional advice, you can speak to our expert counsellors through our Student Assistance Programme (SAP) if your institution offers one.

How to look after your mental health

With such a large change on the horizon, not just on a personal level, but socially with many peers moving on, it can be difficult to maintain positive mental health and wellbeing. It is vital that you make efforts to look after your mental health to ensure you can progress seamlessly to the next stage of your life.

• Stay in touch with friends This is a time in your life where friends begin to separate through no fault of their own, but simply due to their chosen paths in life. Some may be going on to the next level of education and moving away, some may be returning home for work, or you may end up separate from them to focus on your path. This can be especially disheartening as these people could be your closest friends and the thought of not seeing them as often can impact your mental health. However, just because someone is moving further away, it does not mean they are gone forever. With endless methods of communication available today, you should make sure to stay in contact, organise to meet-up in the future, or even join a group chat so that everyone can easily stay in touch. Whilst it may not be the same thing as physically speaking to someone each day, it will provide that comfort that they are still a part of your life.

• Take your time It can be easy to look ahead to the future and forget to be present. This is a time in your life where you should be focusing on the here and now, those who are with you, as the next stage may be completely different, so focusing on those around you, the environments and creating memories.

• Focus on yourself In the near future, responsibilities will begin to pile up with career commitments or higher levels of education, for the time being, focus on your physical and mental wellbeing. Doing what you enjoy and staying active will help combat poor mental health and help you establish routines you can take into later life.

Start looking to the future

Whilst you should enjoy the time before moving on to the next stage, there will come a time to focus on what is to come. As we mentioned previously, no matter what your next step is, you should properly prepare for what is to come. Whether that be financially, for accommodation or simply the academic or career path you will be following, making sure you are prepared will ensure you are comfortable and happy to progress. When everything is in order, you will feel ready and excited to progress to this next stage of your life, looking back on this period of your education with fondness. Stepping out of the world of education into the world of work can be daunting, and the same applies for going from college and A-Levels to an undergraduate level, but preparation is key to surviving the initial transition and managing your wellbeing.

How the Student Assistance Programme can help students

The end of your time in education at any level can be extremely stressful and take their toll, no matter how prepared you might be. Exam period can be a stressful time and when mixed with final deadlines and preparing for the next stage in life, you may need support. With our SAP, you can access 24/7 expert counselling, 365-days to support you with exam stress and any negative feelings or loneliness you may be experiencing in this time. As well as this expert support, you have access to the Wisdom App, which is loaded with wellbeing resources. These resources include podcasts that discuss mindfulness, how to manage mental wellbeing, articles with insights into a variety of topics, nutrition trackers and physical wellbeing guidance. Make the most of your time and make sure you are ready for the end of your time in university of college.

Conclusion

It is important to enjoy the time you have before leaving college or university. Yes, there will be stressful periods such as exams and assessments. You will need to ensure you are prepared for the next stage of your life regardless of what that may be. It can be easy to be overwhelmed. However, this is a precious period in your life and signifies the end of one era before you move on to the next, so it should be celebrated and enjoyed.