Although there are still two months until many of my classmates and I graduate, the infamous six-word question “What are you doing after college?” has begun to circulate and has us all sweating.
It is a question that seems simple on the surface, almost polite in conversation. But for many of us, it forces us out of the present, out of celebrating everything we’ve already accomplished and into a future we are expected to have perfectly planned. Six words that immediately seem to invalidate the four years of hard work we are so close to completing.
Society constantly pushes us to think ahead, optimize and plan. In this modern world, it feels impossible not to. There’s this quiet but persistent feeling that we are always behind. If we pause for a second, we will fall too far behind to ever catch up. A feeling that taking a break means risking our dreams entirely.
I’ve felt that pressure in very real ways: staying up late applying to countless jobs or building five-year plans that feel more like survival strategies than aspirations, only to wake up more anxious than I was the night before.
And then there’s the conflicting advice. Every “mentor” seems to offer some version of reassurance — “you’ll find your way” — while also reminding you to stay ahead and keep moving. It’s meant to be helpful, but it often leaves many of us with more anxiety about when we will find that path.
What makes this question feel even heavier right now is the reality of the job market. A friend recently told me she had to interview four separate times for a bagger position at her local grocery store. Four interviews for a job that not long ago would have been considered entry-level and accessible for those without a degree. Stories like this aren’t rare anymore.
The New York Times highlights how many recent graduates are struggling even to get a foot in the door. One graduate applied to over 200 jobs and received only four interviews. The search became so discouraging that she began seeing a therapist to manage the stress. She emphasized just how hopeless the process felt, joking that starting her own company might be easier than getting hired.
There is also the looming fear that artificial intelligence will reshape entire industries, alongside a growing trend in which even lower-level positions now require advanced degrees. Jobs that were once stepping stones are becoming increasingly out of reach, as more qualified candidates compete for fewer opportunities.
The impact is showing. Research spanning 17 years found more than one-third of graduate students are at risk of anxiety distress, with severe anxiety on the rise. These aren’t isolated feelings; they are part of a broader mental health reality tied to academic and professional uncertainty.
So when someone asks, “What are you doing after college?” it’s not just a question about future plans, it’s one shaped by economic instability and rising expectations.
The problem isn’t the lack of an answer. Maybe it’s the expectation that there should be a thought–out or linear response.
If anything, we need to start reframing what we consider success. Not having a “perfect” job lined up does not erase years of hard work and growth. Taking an unconventional path, whether that’s a temporary job, a gap period or exploring different fields, is not falling behind. Looking for a dream job, especially in today’s market, is a job in itself, so we need to expand our understanding of what progress looks like.
Not everything meaningful has to be tied to long-term employment. Finding hobbies, building communities and creating routines that ground us are just as important. They remind us that our value as humans is not solely defined by our productivity, which this country constantly prioritizes.
This mindset might be hard to adopt given the pressure we face from the world around us, and at times, from our very own families. This is all advice I’m still learning to take on myself, as a perpetual over-thinker and deeply ingrained overachiever.
The next time someone asks me what I’m doing after I graduate, I want to feel less pressure to perform and more freedom to be honest.
Saying “Actually, I have no idea” should be enough.
Contact Martina Long at mlong2@oxy.edu
