My Experience With Post-College Loneliness and Depression

The fiirst three years out of college were one of the hardest times of my life, and loneliness and social isolation was the biggest challenge I faced during this time. I explain how little had prepared me for the level of isolation and lack of community I would experience during these years. I found work less social than I had expected, living in an apartment made it harder to meet and socialize with neighbors, and it was hard to meet, approach, and talk to people out and about in the "real world".
I talk about what advice I'd give myself if I could go back in time: (1) not living alone (2) not being afraid to live next to and spend time on a college or university campus (3) becoming a regular at cafes or bars and focusing on getting to know the employees as a jumping-off-point for talking to other people.
I also talk about things people can do in society to prevent others from falling into this trap, including (a) giving people a heads up about facing this challenge so it doesn't hit them unexpected (b) having people who design and build buildings build more common areas into them (c) people being more open to talking to others in society as a whole, and in general (d) prioritizing community, social life, and connecting with people more.