The Post-Grad Blues: How I Turned My Setbacks into Stepping Stones

The Post-Grad Blues: How I Turned My Setbacks into Stepping Stones

The day I graduated from college in Zimbabwe, I felt invincible. My future seemed bright, with dreams carefully laid out like a perfectly constructed puzzle. I had everything figured out—or so I thought. That year was supposed to be the year. I planned to land a great job, start crossing off my bucket list, and finally live the life I had envisioned during countless late-night study sessions.

But life has a way of laughing at our plans, doesn’t it?

Just when I thought I was ready to take on the world, COVID-19 came crashing in, and with it, the entire world seemed to grind to a halt. Companies shut down, recruitment froze, and I was suddenly confined to my home. I remember applying for a dream position with Qatar Airways, only to receive the devastating news that their recruitment was suspended due to the pandemic. That email felt like the sound of my dreams shattering.

I spiraled into despair. My family, seeing my frustration, suggested I go back to university to further my studies. But honestly, I questioned the point. What good was more education when jobs seemed like a distant fantasy? Still, with nothing else to hold onto, I reluctantly enrolled. Yet, even as I pushed through academically, the disappointment lingered.

Seeing my peers succeed only deepened my sense of failure. They were getting jobs, moving abroad, tying the knot, and ticking off milestones, while I felt stuck in quicksand. I cried myself to sleep more nights than I’d like to admit. Adding salt to the wound, a long-term relationship ended, leaving me shattered. It felt like everything was falling apart all at once.

But sometimes, when you’re at rock bottom, you discover hidden gems. For me, that gem was creativity. To escape the harsh reality, I threw myself into themed photoshoots and partnered with Tora Photography. It wasn’t just a distraction; it was my lifeline. I found solace in curating moments of beauty, even amidst the chaos.

The heartbreak, job rejections, and broken friendships, though painful, turned out to be blessings in disguise. Losing people I once held close made room for me to find myself. I learned to think outside the box, to channel my emotions into something meaningful, and to redefine what success meant to me.

Looking back, that season of life wasn’t about losing hope—it was about finding new ways to dream. The struggles after college are rarely talked about, but they’re real and raw. They shape us in ways we never anticipate.

So, if you’re in that space where the future feels blurry and the weight of expectations crushes your spirit, remember this: sometimes the setback is just a setup for your comeback.

"Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life." – J.K. Rowling