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5 Reads After Graduation If You’re Freaking Out

by  | June 29

Are you a freshly minted college or high school graduate? Congrats! If you’re a little nervous about what comes next, don’t worry, you’re not alone! Whether you’re looking for advice, reassurance, or inspiration—there’s definitely a book out there that will help. Here are five books you should pick up right now if you’re freaking out (or even if you have everything totally under control). 

The Opposite of Loneliness

The Opposite of Loneliness

by Marina Keegan

A poignant collection of essays and short stories by Marina Keegan, published posthumously after she died in a car crash just days after graduating Yale magna cum laude in 2012. Read this regardless of your age. Read this if you feel alone and uncertain. Read this if you want to make a change. Marina says it best: “We can still do anything. We can change our minds. We can start over. . . . We’re so young. We can’t, we MUST not lose this sense of possibility because in the end, it’s all we have.” 

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Year of Yes

Year of Yes

by Shonda Rhimes

You know Shonda Rhimes. She’s the showrunner of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal, executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder, and founder of the Shondaland production company. This woman is a powerhouse. But before Shonda was Shonda Rhimes, she was an introvert who wasn’t open to change, chance, or opportunities. Read this hilarious memoir to learn how Shonda’s “year of yes” changed her life, and how it can change yours. Bonus inspo: watch Shonda’s Dartmouth Commencement Speech to the graduating class of 2014.

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For Every One

For Every One

by Jason Reynolds

Originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, this poem is author Jason Reynolds’s rallying cry to the dreamers of the world. It’s for everyone, especially for every person who dreams of being better than they are. If you’re trying to make a dream come true, this poem will revitalize you with the passion and hope you need to keep going. 

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Am I There Yet?

Am I There Yet?

by Mari Andrew

Mari Andrew is here to walk you through her life experiences—from creating a home in a new city, to understanding the link between a good hair dryer and good self-esteem—with personal essays and illustrations. This guide to growing up is for the people taking the road less traveled, people seeking advice on #adulting, or people just looking for someone who gets it. 

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A Tribe Called Bliss

A Tribe Called Bliss

by Lori Harder

“Behind every successful woman is a tribe of women who have her back.” Lori Harder is here to help you learn how to establish a support tribe and live your best life. This is for every woman who seeks sisterhood, camaraderie, and connection. Because where would we be without our #squad? 

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Shefali is a former digital marketer of the Corporate Digital Marketing team at Simon & Schuster. Because her whole life is #reading, it’s hard for her to pick a favorite genre—anything with strong voice is amazing. She sometimes has unpopular opinions, loves Jane Austen, and finds snark, sassiness, and Oxford commas to be necessary parts of life. Follow her on Twitter at @ShefaliLohia or Instagram at @shefallsgracefully.
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