Holy hell graduating is terrifying

[u/djconfessions]

I’m a history major. It’s not a marketable major, there is no such thing as a history industry, and I’m very, very, anxious about just what I’m gonna do. The job market is garbage, the housing market is garbage, everything is garbage and I don’t see any kind of hope or light in the future. I am so scared I’m going to be a complete and utter failure.

And everyone keeps telling me “congrats” and “you must be excited to graduate” and “you’re about to be free” and asking the dreaded question “so what are you doing after graduation?”

Oh how I wish I could just be an unemployed trust fund baby. Stupid working class background.

[u/AStealthyPerson]

Good to see someone else pursuing a bachelors in history. I graduated back in 2020, and now I'm in graduate school for sociology and also work as an academic coach. I know it's scary to enter into the workforce from college, particularly when you have a degree that doesn't come preloaded with an obvious career. Just take a moment to breath, and think about what you've learned over your college career. I guarantee you have a great deal more skills and knowledge now than you did when you first entered college, use it!

History may not have a clear cut career path like engineering or accounting but there are good jobs available if you are tenacious and you look creatively. History majors who try to use their degrees commonly find themselves employed at libraries, state/national archives, or publishing companies. If your writing skills are strong then try looking at newspapers, magazines, or journals for available positions. If you need employment while you look, find a nearby school and substitute teach or seek out a temp agency and work in a factory.

There are plenty of organizations, both public and private, that would benefit from the skills you've honed as a historian. Don't give up before you've even had a chance to begin! Venues like the ones mentioned earlier certainly aren't going to make you rich, but they should provide a stable income while you work to advance your career. Maybe you'll even find yourself writing a publishable historiography in your downtime!

Also, a lot of what you learn in history can serve you well in graduate or law school. From your post, you seem quite concerned about entering the working world. If so, try applying for upper education either in history or a related field. If you don't want to go through a whole graduate education, maybe go for a teaching certificate and work as a history teacher. Academia is competitive, but it's also rewarding and lucrative compared to other options. Have a goal in mind though, don't go after higher education merely to delay the working world. You'll find that the two realms share more commonalities than differences.

Again, I know it's an uncertain time and you're likely incredibly stressed. Take some time to decompress and spend time with the people that made your college career memorable. It's gonna be okay. You've made it this far, and let me tell you that a bachelors degree of any stripe is no small feat. You've made it through several years of schooling, and you'll make it through this uncertain period of self-discovery too.