By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

 

It may seem hard to feel hopeful about the future when uncertainty lurks in every area of your life, from career options to living expenses. Why feel excited about your coming graduation when it feels like life is so hard?

But Erica Randall Lacey, PhD, licensed clinical social worker and licensed marriage and family therapist, said that building a hopeful outlook begins by starting small.

“College comes with intense pressure to make decisions that feel finite: choosing a major, committing to a career path, deciding where to live,” she said.

Instead of resolving to tackle all of these huge decisions, it can help to set more immediate, achievable goals that can help. She suggested tips that can promote self-care such as drinking more water, taking a walk and going to bed a little earlier.

Lacey is an assistant professor in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Le Moyne College and knows that for many busy students, self-care tends to fall by the wayside. Caring for yourself can help you make level-headed decisions and avoid burnout, which has the potential for derailing your plans.

Asking same-age friends and roommates for advice on major decisions won’t be as helpful as you would think. Although they care about you, they’re also as inexperienced as you are in these areas if you’re a typical age college student.

“Take advantage of your campus resources,” Lacey said. “Visit career services to polish your résumé or attend a career fair to explore post-graduation possibilities. Believe it or not you are already building skills and impact — even before everything feels figured out.”

It’s easy to feel sucked into negative rhetoric while scrolling on social media. Or to feel like everyone else has everything figured out because of the curated stories offered on your feed. Instead, “consider unfollowing accounts that leave you feeling overwhelmed, less than or stuck in comparison,” Lacey said. “Delete content that no longer reflects who you are or where you’re headed.”

Reduce use of social media and then only interact with accounts that promote positivity. Skip duking it out in the comment section with disagreeable people. That only breeds negativity.

“Be intentional about what you let in,” Lacey said. “Inspiring stories, your favorite comedian’s latest set or even a steady stream of cute puppy videos can provide moments of joy, perspective and relief — small but meaningful reminders that hope and humor still exist alongside uncertainty.”

Connect with a larger group that can help support and encourage you, such as a club, faith-based group or volunteering organization. Due to time constraints, you may not have time to participate as fully as you might like but checking in occasionally with a cause larger than yourself can fuel optimism.