Dealing With Pre-Graduation Jitters

Dear Shrink Rap:

—On the Edge

Graduation from college, whether it is from an undergraduate or graduate program, is a major life transition. You are truly at a crossroads in your life, and it is understandably anxiety-provoking and stressful. Whether you recognize it or not, facing the future may also mean that you are mourning the impending change of life as you have known it these last few years. The incredible pressures of being in a competitive conservatory will be gone, but there is uncertainty about how friendships will continue, what kind of support systems you will have, and how your lifestyle will change.

Time set aside for enjoyable activities is not merely recreational; it is a critical element in taking care of yourself.

Graduating students also struggle with existential questions such as: was my education worth it; what is out there for me; was focusing on just one artistic discipline a mistake; will I make it in the world; what have I accomplished? It is very difficult to come to terms with all of these feelings when, at the same time, you have worked so hard and achieved so much by getting to this point.

As you look toward May and what follows, you might find it helpful to keep some of the following points and advice in mind:

Remember that the ending of something is also the beginning of a new chapter. No matter what you are at the end of (it could be a relationship, leaving home, moving to a different city, changing jobs, or a whole new change of identity from student to professional), it is helpful to acknowledge that endings and beginnings are stressful and anxiety-provoking.

Work to develop a plan of action while you are still here at Juilliard. There are excellent resources at the School that you can tap into while you are here. If you have not paid a visit to the Career Development Office in Room 476, make an appointment to speak with Derek Mithaug or Jane Cho. They can help you gain perspective, and can guide you in the ever-important methods of networking.

Try to listen to any inner voice that is telling you what you do or don't want to do after you leave Juilliard. Many performing artists realize that there are other passions that have not been explored, and which might quite naturally flow from the artistic training they have received. You may want to consider exploring other avenues while still working on your artistic discipline. This is, of course, what many performing artists end up doing to make ends meet, but it can be a very positive experience. Check with our Career Development Office and the Actors' Fund (www.actorsfund.org) for seminars, training opportunities, and support systems that will serve you during this transition.

Remember that worry and stress are normal; immobilizing anxiety and depression are not. Again, while you still have free access to it as a student, turn to the incredible resource that is the Counseling Service. Our counselors can help you find ways of coping and redefining yourself in positive ways. We can also help you formulate your plan of action, and we will support you through the ups and downs of facing an unknown future. It can only help to talk with someone about the emotions you are experiencing. Some people feel that this is what friends are for. However, you may have already discovered that stress and anxiety are contagious, and hanging out with friends who are also confronting uncertainties about the future can make you feel worse. We often hear from students that counseling was invaluable in helping them learn how to handle the stresses, fears, and anxieties of the unknown.

You are right that it is very challenging to find enjoyment in a time that is fraught with worry. Try to take time out to do things that you enjoy and which provide you with some degree of internal peace. You may have to force yourself to set aside special time during which you pledge to yourself that the stresses of career and life will not interfere with your enjoyment. It helps to regard this kind of activity not so much as recreational as a critical element in taking care of yourself, and in keeping yourself mentally and physically well.

Shrink Rap is the monthly advice column of the Juilliard Counseling Service. We welcome students' questions that we can print and answer here. Please submit any anonymous questions for consideration by depositing them in the Health Services mailbox, located in the Student Affairs Office. Address any correspondence to Shrink Rap.