The In-Between: A Group For 20-Somethings Navigating Life After College.

College graduation. An exciting time! A time you worked hard for—maybe intentionally picking a degree, getting good grades, landing good internships or placements. Maybe it's a time you've been longing for, or a time you've been dreading. There are so many emotions that can come with this phase of life!

For me personally, I leaned more toward longing for graduation. I looked forward to the freedom of adulthood, making money, no longer having to study or do homework. I was excited to become a teacher and decorate my own classroom. I was also engaged and looking forward to getting married after graduating! There were so many reasons, on paper, why this was supposed to be some of the best years of my life.

I was seeing graduation and young adulthood through rose-colored glasses.

But about six months after graduation, I started realizing very quickly that adulthood was really hard. I found myself missing my friends, the simplicity of college life, the freedom to work out whenever I wanted, and even the energy I had. Suddenly, there was stress about finances, cooking, moving, and keeping up with friends. We now had to intentionally make time to see each other when, before, it had been so easy. We had all lived together, seen each other on campus multiple times a day or week, and always had events and plans to go to together.

I was lonely, stressed out, and unhealthy. My mental health hit some of its lowest points in my early 20s after graduating.

And yet, I felt a lot of guilt for struggling.

I was working a job I thought I wanted. I was engaged to my best friend. I was living in a great apartment in a really fun part of town. I was making the most money I had ever made. (I was just on a teacher's salary, but hey, to a broke college student, $1,100 paychecks started to feel real big!)

Yet I was struggling.

And I don't think I was the only 22-year-old struggling after graduating college.

A lot changes when you experience the identity shift from being a student to becoming a young adult. There is so much you were never taught, but somehow expected to just know. And young adults experience very different levels of support during this transition. Some may have financial support, the option to move back home, or parents who can help with job connections. Others may be expected to figure it out on their own shortly after graduating, living independently or even moving away. There are so many different ways your early 20s can look after graduating, and that's part of why I wanted to start this group.

For so many of us, we were on a similar path to our friends throughout college. Then, all of a sudden, everyone starts going down different paths and living on different timelines. It can be so easy to start feeling like you're behind, doing something wrong, or comparing yourself to everyone around you. And with social media being such a big part of our lives, it's even easier to start feeling like you're not measuring up.

So, if you're feeling “in-between” today—in between the structure of college life and the uncertainty of adulthood—I want you to come be part of this group.

I had you in mind when creating this group. The young adult who feels confused, overwhelmed, and maybe even disappointed by how hard this transition has been, but who also wants to enjoy the fruit of their hard work and feel supported along the way.

My own experience with this transition is a big part of why I started this, so I truly understand how difficult it can feel. I hope to equip you with practical knowledge and tools that you can start implementing into your everyday life right away, while also providing an opportunity to sit with and connect with other young adults navigating this same phase of life.

I hope to hear from you soon!