- By Supratik Das
- Sat, 21 Jun 2025 02:28 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
An Indian-origin man based in the United States has gone viral on LinkedIn after he shared the emotional and physical challenges of transitioning from university life to the demanding realities of the corporate world. Gaurav Chintamneedi, a Chapman University graduate, drew widespread attention with his honest response to what his first year out of college has been like, anything but the glamorous version usually depicted on social media.
From College Dreams To Corporate Reality
Following his graduation, Mr. Chintamneedi moved to the DMV region (Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia) for a job that he assumed would kickstart his early-20s dream life. But the experience was tougher than the glamour. Currently an assistant store manager with a top e-commerce firm, he now frequently works 50 to 60 hours per week, sometimes beginning as early as 3 AM. "When I first arrived in the DMV, I imagined living the dream early-20s life… grabbing drinks with coworkers, side projects, and coffee shop weekends. But reality hit differently," he wrote in his post.
In his post, Chintamneedi confessed that the mental transition from college to professional life was way harder than anticipated. Weekends were largely taken up by work, and his rare days off were spent trying to recover, leaving no time or energy for socialisation or hobbies. "I found myself lying in bed doomscrolling on Instagram, drained from six consecutive days of work," he wrote. "Making new connections in a new city wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped… I even started to wonder: Did I peak in college?" he added. But he ended on a strong note, that he hadn't peaked, he kept growing. His message was not a complaint, but a declaration of collective struggle.
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Chintamneedi's post resonated throughout LinkedIn, with thousands of likes, shares, and comments from young professionals and new graduates who related to his experience. One user replied, "Love the introspection and advice, G! The 20s are challenging for many of us… Your resilience is inspiring." Another user, a new graduate, posted, "Thank you for sharing this! This was so uplifting, especially since I just graduated a few weeks ago!" The post has also spawned wider discussions online regarding overwork and unrealistic expectations, especially among young Indian expats working overseas. This also serves as a reminder that the post-college phase is not always easy, and that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed.
