A University of Illinois graduate has built the adventurous, community-focused life she longed for in college, four years after leaving campus. After struggling with social anxiety and isolation during her studies, the woman, who moved to Chicago post-graduation, found connection through a walking group and now lives in Singapore.
Her story challenges the notion that the university years are the peak of social and personal discovery, demonstrating how those experiences can be forged successfully in adult life with deliberate effort and new opportunities.
From Isolation to International Adventure
Graduating in 2021 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the English major left university filled with regret for a college experience marred by self-isolation, depression, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite living on campus, she described a cycle of rumination and missed connections, failing to act on invitations to clubs and social events due to anxiety.
"I graduated filled with anger and disappointment in myself for not trying harder to make friends and maximize my four years," she stated, reflecting on her time at university.
Building a Community in Chicago
Determined to change her life after moving to downtown Chicago, she discovered Chicago Girls Who Walk on TikTok. After weeks of hesitation, she attended a meetup, finding a community of women of all ages also seeking friendship. "Knowing that there were so many other women... searching for friends made me feel less alone in my struggles," she explained.
She committed to attending events and initiating friend dates, leading to spontaneous activities like beach picnics, outdoor movies, and pumpkin patch visits that mirrored the college spontaneity she had desired.
Friendship Fuels Global Travel
Through the group, she met Giovanna, with whom she connected over shared interests in theme parks and travel. Their friendship was cemented by a spontaneous trip to Universal Studios Hollywood for Halloween Horror Nights just months after meeting.
Since then, they have travelled together to Thailand, Japan, and Italy, journeys funded by her post-graduation employment. This travel provided the self-discovery and creative inspiration she had hoped to find through a study abroad program, which was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Fulfilling Dreams of Living Abroad
Her international experiences with Giovanna sparked a desire to live overseas. At the end of 2025, she moved to Singapore on a six-month visa, where she is currently in her fifth month of residence.
Now, she states she finally has the life her 18-year-old self dreamt of, complete with amazing friends and new self-discoveries, proving that community, travel, and personal fulfillment can be achieved well beyond the university years.