The Loneliness Nobody Talks About After College | by Soul Evans

So here’s the thing everyone hypes up graduation like it’s this big finish line. Caps in the air, family clapping, friends screaming your name, and you’re standing there thinking, “Wow, I did it. I’m grown now.” But nobody really preps you for what happens after. That quiet part. That weird, heavy space where suddenly the group chats go silent and the only “hangouts” you get are on Instagram stories.

College feels like a never-ending social buffet you’re surrounded by people all the time. Dorms, cafeterias, clubs, late-night walks, random parties. There’s always someone around. And then? You graduate. Everyone scatters. Some move back home, some chase jobs in other cities, some disappear into relationships. And you? You’re just… there.

This is the loneliness nobody really warns you about. It’s not the dramatic, crying-on-the-floor type (though it can be). It’s more subtle. Like making dinner alone five nights in a row. Like realizing your “college besties” don’t reply for days. Like scrolling through socials just to feel included in lives you’re no longer part of.

But here’s the honest part it’s normal. It doesn’t mean you messed up. It doesn’t mean you’re unlovable or boring. It’s just the reality of life shifting gears. And yeah, it hurts. But it also forces you to figure yourself out outside of the noise. You start learning how to actually enjoy your own company. You find new routines, new hobbies, new circles.

The loneliness after college is real, but it isn’t permanent. Think of it like a reset. It sucks, but it also sets the stage for the next chapter friends you choose as an adult, not just people you shared a classroom with.

So if you’re sitting there after work, scrolling your phone, wondering if anyone else feels the same yeah, we do. You’re not the only one.

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