Life after graduation Miss or bliss?

"Study hard now; university will be easier." For many of us, this parental promise kept us grinding through school. And sure enough, we made it-only to discover that the grind doesn't end in university. It only changes form. And sure enough, it worked-most of us made it to university. Only to realise later that, in hindsight, that motivation was kind of a scam.

Because once you're in, you realise the grind doesn't stop; it just changes form. School may have felt long, but university life often feels like an endless loop of deadlines and delayed decisions. The parents are no longer the ones stressing; the students quietly carry it all on their own.

Somewhere between deadlines and delayed results, you might find yourself disappointed, but also oddly proud of how far you've come. And yet, a new anxiety creeps in: what will life after graduation be like? Unfortunately, this time, your parents' motivational speech about a "good job" and a "settled life" doesn't quite offer the same comfort.

The questions start coming: will I miss this chaotic, stressful life? Or will the next phase be even more overwhelming, making this one seem like the good old days?

For students like Taspriya Jannat, the thought of graduation doesn't inspire relief-it only magnifies the pressure.

"I feel like I have so much on my plate, but nothing's really figured out yet," says Taspriya, a final-year student at Prime University. "Honestly, at this point, I wish graduation would just never come."

It's a sentiment many students share-uncertainty about career plans breeds fear. Yet even those with relatively better ideas about their future aren't exactly in a hurry to move on.

"I do have a draft plan for the future," says Tahmid Jaeef, a fourth-year student at Dhaka University. "But I don't want this phase of life to end too soon, because I'm well aware of how challenging life can get after graduation."

Still, not everyone sees it that way. For some, the promise of financial independence outweighs the bittersweet charm of campus life. They can't wait for graduation to arrive.

On the flip side, financial independence can be a more urgent motivation than nostalgia.

"Since I have to bear my own expenses," says Moonrat Ahmed, a student at Dhaka University, "wishing for an extended university life doesn't suit me. I actually think life after university will be more comforting."

But what about those who have already crossed that bridge, those who once stood where today's students stand-anxious, eager, unsure?

Anindeta Chowdhury, a writer and graduate of the Dhaka University's Mass Communication and Journalism Department, shares a quieter nostalgia:"I believe every phase of life comes with its own benefits and struggles. It took me until my fourth year of honours to truly fit into my surroundings, and from then on, I enjoyed campus life much more, especially during my master's. Although it's been three to four years since graduation and I now live farther away, the campus still feels close to me. I don't miss it much, except occasionally when life feels a bit boring-which is rare."

Others, like Naimul Islam Roni, a freelance motion graphics artist who pursued studies at both Daffodil University and Dhaka University, speak with a more pragmatic tone:

"University life wasn't too comforting for those of us who had to bear our own expenses. Still, I really enjoyed my student days by actively participating in campus clubs and events. I had a great time with friends back then. But life isn't just about enjoyment-responsibilities come first. So in the end, I find my current job life more preferable. I had my fun when I had the time, so I don't really miss it much. Now, it's the paycheck that brings me bliss."

Maybe the real truth is this: life after graduation isn't pure bliss or pure burden. It's just different. And like every stage before it, we'll learn to navigate it-not because we're ready, but because we must. The chaos may change shape, but so do we.

While it is easy to fear the uncertainty of a future that might not meet our hopes, life often unfolds in ways we don't expect. Rather than letting the pressure weigh us down, staying open to possibilities and moving forward-steadily, even stubbornly-often carries us further than we realise.

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