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Yes, finally! All those years of sweat, blood and tears have earned you a degree. You are now an adult, ready to face the world. Yup, the world is your oyster. However, before you know it, your ecstatic feeling turns to fear. All the what-if questions start to fill your head and you begin worrying. You should know that you’re not alone and all fresh graduates go through a mind numbing period of uncertainty and anxiety related to their future. In the end, everyone just wants a fulfilling and happy life. If you’re wondering what students fear most once they’ve left school or university, read on: I’ll never get a job This is probably the most common fear as you send in applications and begin seeing one rejection after another. However, it’s important to remember that it’s not your lack of ability that has caused it, but rather the way that companies value experience more. I’ll never pay back my student loans A degree is expensive, and not all of us has the money to go through university without getting a loan. With the economy this way, you'll wonder if you can get a job to pay off the loan. For example, student loan repayments for the Malaysian PTPTN start 6 months after graduation and if you don’t get a job within that period, you may start being blacklisted. I’ll never be able to afford a car or house Fresh graduates often earn meager salaries and the aspiration of being a house owner or having their dream car often seems unattainable and very far off. I’ll never have enough time for myself Being a student allows you more flexible time, especially when you’re in college or University. Sleeping in when you don’t have a morning class is normal, as was playing games into the wee hours. Working life is more demanding and if you don’t get enough sleep, the next day can be a nightmare. I’ll never fit into any company Trust us, even experienced adult workers go through this worry as they flit from one job to another , never finding a work culture that suits them. However, finding a place where you can work happily is always possible. I’ll never be able to work my dream job It’s true that not everyone is lucky enough to work in the field they want. Many people have to prioritize putting food on the table and paying their bills. You can always keep your day job and work in your desired field part time or on weekends first, and who knows, you’ll get a chance to do it full time soon. I won’t have enough to retire Sometimes, thinking too far ahead adds to the fear, as you think of all the living expenses you will incur and whether you’ll have enough savings to retire on, especially since salaries aren’t catching up with inflation rates. I’ll lose touch with society Being a working adult means less time for socializing and entertainment. Any free time you have has to be fully utilized. Gone are the days where you can just backpack over the weekend with friends. Now you find yourself too tired to move on weekends. To remedy this, you can always join a hobby community or sports club. Failing to live up to expectations Growing up, your parents may have compared you to others to motivate you to work harder. Now that you’re in the working world, you use the same tactic on yourself. However, you’ll only be disappointed if you use money and position as indicators of how much a person matters. Focus on being happy and fulfilled instead. I’ll make a huge mistake and embarrass myself Mistakes are not an indication that you’re a loser. Making mistakes at work happens all the time, even to those who are very senior and experienced. Learn to relax and not take yourself too seriously. Top Image: aslysun / Shutterstock.com

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