u/scentofsummerr

A very warm hello to the ladies of this sub.
I’m a young woman who has recently graduated, and to be honest, I feel completely lost.
Growing up, my entire identity revolved around being a good student. I was the girl who got good grades was the favourite student and had big dreams for herself and her family. I genuinely believed that if I kept working hard, things would eventually fall into place. I worked so hard to get out the small town that I lived in.

But somewhere during college, I lost myself.
I don’t know exactly when it happened. Maybe it was burnout maybe loneliness or maybe my self sabotage or maybe poor decisions maybe a combination of everything. All I know is that I don’t recognize the person I’ve become.

Now I’m standing at the end of my graduation feeling behind, confused, and deeply disappointed in myself. I have a lot of responsibilities. I’m the eldest child in my family and there isn’t really anyone older I can turn to for guidance. Everyone expects me to figure things out, but the truth is that I have no idea what I’m doing.

The guilt is probably the worst part. I constantly think about the opportunities I wasted, the time I lost, and the version of myself I could have been. Some days I feel so overwhelmed by regret that it becomes difficult to focus on moving forward.

But I haven’t given up. I know the woods are dark and deep but I have promises to keep.
I am willing to work hard. I’m willing to learn new skills, change my habits, and start from scratch if needed. I just need some direction from women who have been in a similar place and managed to rebuild themselves.

If you’ve ever felt lost after graduation, disappointed in yourself, or like you had fallen far behind your peers, how did you bounce back?
What practical steps helped you?
What would you tell your younger self?
How did you stop drowning in guilt and start moving forward?
I would really appreciate any advice, stories, or even a little hope right now.

Thank you so much for reading 🌻☹️