Adulting 101: When the jump from school to work feels like 'free falling', how do I find solid ground?
Do you feel overwhelmed trying to adjust to a new working environment? Here’s what experts, including EMCC Counsellor, Ms Amanda Tay, say about why the jump from school to work feels like such a leap for young adults, and how to better cope.
Journalist: Nikki Yeo
Publication name: TODAY
Published June 8, 2024
Updated June 10, 2024
Back then, I was thick in the struggles of secondary school mathematics, but with the perks of seeing my friends every day and being able to enjoy extended breaks in the form of school holidays.
Financial decisions? Nothing more onerous than choosing what to buy for lunch at recess.
Yet on the flip side of longing for my school days, as seen through rose-tinted glasses, is some wary wondering. Where did all that simple joy disappear to, and why?
While this job at TODAY is not my first taste of full-time employment, my previous stint working in the education field abroad was reminiscent of residential college life.
Now, in my second year of full-time work since graduating in 2022, conversations with my friends in our rare catch-ups tend to inevitably revolve around what occupies most of our days: Work.
And while there are perks, such as greater financial independence, so many of those around me are often tired and stressed.
This could be from projects, anxiety about office dynamics, financial planning or an existential uncertainty about where all this is leading to.
An NTUC Youth Taskforce identified the top three challenges faced by most young adults when transitioning from school to the workplace:
- Achieving work-life balance
- Adapting to the work environment
- Being able to decide on a career path without being limited by the expectations of others
“In both the workplace and school, there are opportunities to meet diverse people and build social and professional networks, which are important for personal and career growth,” said Ms Natasha Choy, the executive secretary of Young NTUC.
“However, school often provides a safety net, whereas the professional workplace can be an unfamiliar environment with new tasks.”
In the spirit of my full-time role, I spoke with career experts and a counsellor to find out more on why the jump from school to work feels like such a leap for young adults, and how to better cope.
SCHOOL VS WORK ENVIRONMENT
Ms Shannon Toh, a career coach from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) career and attachment office, said young adults tend to hold onto the “student mindset” when first beginning work, such as approaching a task like submitting an assignment without thinking a few steps ahead or taking ownership of the given task.
Unlike the teacher-student dynamic, fast-paced work environments may also leave little time for seniors to train new hires, leading them to face challenges in completing tasks and being criticised for poor quality work, she added.
“Many who did not go through internships may find it challenging to apply theoretical knowledge to the real-world task given, which may cause them to feel demoralised.”
Agreeing, Ms Amanda Tay, a counsellor at Eagles Mediation and Counselling Centre (EMCC), said that while goals are pre-defined for students, there is no “one straight path to success” in a career, which can create a sense of loss.
She said the academic environment is akin to riding a bike with training wheels, and the “huge” transitional challenges of full-time work are like having those training wheels removed.
More than learning how to apply familiar content to real-world assignments, young adults also have to traverse the social minefield of interacting within a workplace hierarchy.
“Even the most veteran colleague faces this challenge; learning to understand the complexity of office politics and work culture, and navigating through these winding roads may become a stressful situation for a lot of young adults,” said Ms Toh.
‘FREE FALLING’ INTO NEVER ENDING GRIND?
In a conversation with a close friend from my school days, she called the transition to full time work after graduating university “free falling”, a metaphor experts said was apt, as work can feel endless in a less structured environment.
Tasks are no longer apportioned into timetables but can come in the form of juggling multiple projects and abstract benchmarks like promotions or appraisals.
The stakes of working life as compared to the academic world are also higher, as young adults begin to take on financial commitments such as insurance premiums, working towards a house and even caregiving responsibilities.
The daunting ambiguity at the start of one’s career stems from many youths still trying to identify their interests and strengths or come up with long-term goals, said Ms Eve Puan, a career specialist from NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i).
She added that many young adults commonly struggle to land their first job with limited work experience and may have had to deal with a stressful and repetitive job search process, which can affect young adults’ confidence and self-esteem.
Ms Toh from NTU said that project and task objectives at work, too, can be “ambiguous” during the initial planning stages, leaving young employees unsure of where or how to start.
“In a workplace, while one is expected to ensure that the deliverables are met when a task is given, they are also expected to think ahead or strategise, and be prepared to make changes along the way,” she said.
Employees also have to get used to last-minute changes, as projects can be scrapped before implementation or have to be reworked entirely, she added.
“Young adults are still trying to find themselves, and it is common and normal to feel lost at some point, especially when the challenges are out of your control,” said Ms Tay from EMCC.
“Moreover, it is useful to manage your expectations that sometimes we must go through the mundanity of tasks, especially as a junior staff, before we connect the dots and grow stronger from it,” said Ms Tay.
TLDR: I MISS MY FRIENDS
Perhaps the most simple and crucial of all the ways work differs from schooling life is the isolation and inevitable distance that comes as young adults’ lives diverge into different careers.
Coordinating hangouts at university was easy as my friends planned out their timetables to have rest days.
But working across industries with different busy seasons and leave allowances has made rainchecks frequent and forgivable.
Unlike the comfort and security of people who have seen me grow up, meeting people in the workplace can come with a side of “imposter syndrome”.
Ms Tay calls this “the fear of not being able to live up to the company’s, their families, or their own standards”.
She said that having social plans with family and friends could help to keep young adults “grounded” as they navigate work-life boundaries.
“Akin to being in education, time and resources are needed to be intentionally carved out, to strengthen and foster relationships and social lives outside of work,” said Ms Tay.
That doesn’t mean you can’t be social at work, either, she added, as joining social activities at the workplace and social clubs or interest groups outside of work could help foster social connections in and outside of work.
Even when conversations do tread towards day-to-day work life in social gatherings among friends, I often end up feeling much better overall after a catch-up or impromptu weekday dinner.
This manifests in the office, too, where lunch conversations about the projects we’re each working on, or even non-work topics can lead to meaningful insights for a story, or life-related gems such as tips on meditation and crochet.
SO WHAT CAN YOUNG WORKERS DO?
- Seek connection and fun
Experts said that finding a way to stay connected with those we cherish and making meaningful bonds in the workplace are key strategies to cope.
Ms Roberta Balagopal, a senior consultant at career counselling firm Gary and Pearl International, said that having fun often “falls by the wayside” in young adults’ transition to work.
“We need daily doses of happiness to live, without this balance we can fall into burnout, and we’ve seen this happen at increasingly young ages, like (those in their) early 20s,” said Ms Balagopal.
“Make time for hobbies and relationships, and make sure there is something fun to do daily, not save up for the weekend or a once-a-year holiday. It can be something small and simple; just do it daily.”
Experts also suggested finding a mentor at work to speak to, as they can also share their experience and encouragement when work starts to look dreary.
- Structure your own time
Restoring an independent sense of structure and forming a new routine, especially since workplace deadlines may be self-directed, is also important.
Experts suggested making checklists, prioritising urgent to non-important and non-urgent work tasks, and building one’s own timeline, especially when handling multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
Ms Balagopal added that cultivating skills in time management, to learn to prioritise one’s efforts and energy, is crucial to minimise stress. And learning how to say “no” is a key skill.
A way of finding one’s own rhythm is giving oneself “protected time” at work, said Ms Toh from NTU, who recalled an alumnus who set aside lunch time to recharge herself.
A CHANCE TO WORK ON ME
Like my commiserating chats with peers, it was affirming to hear experts’ assertions that I’m not alone in the “free-fall”, nor is it a new challenge as generations of students before me similarly took the leap into the workforce.
Immersion in the workplace after almost two decades of school life is daunting, but Ms Tay suggested viewing the challenges as opportunities to learn more about oneself, such as reflecting on whether their definition of success is in line with the company’s.
Ms Puan from NTUC’s e2i also suggested adopting a mindset open to learning to be put in good stead as one’s career progresses, and working with a career coach to help one identify their skills gaps and plan out next steps.
“If you have been enjoying most of your work and company culture, it is likely that you’ve found the right fit,” said Ms Puan.
“If the job aligns with your skills, values and long term goals, it will be easier to thrive and grow in the workplace.”
It is almost as if I’m “back to school” but on a whole new level of self-discovery, learning more about my values as I try to find my own healthy mix of work, life, and everything in between.
