The origins of my affinity for pop culture go all the way back to my elementary school days. Even with MTV forbidden in my house, I did everything in my power as a child with no other medium of technology to find out what was going on in a faraway land called "Hollywood". At grocery stores I would sneak peeks at tabloids and issues of Tiger Beat when my parents weren’t looking, which is how I discovered the earth shattering news that Aaron Carter cheated on Hilary Duff with Lindsay Lohan. When I entered the 5th grade and discovered reality television, you can only imagine how my life changed forever.
My grandmother was my favorite person in the world for too many reasons to count, but a big one was that she was the only person in my life back then who shared the same affinity for the celebrity world that I had. She introduced me to arguably the single most iconic reality show of all time, The Simple Life, which we watched together religiously every time she came over to babysit. It hilariously chronicled the misadventures of then-BFF’s Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie as they were thrust into the real world and worked their way through every kind of job imaginable. I realize now that this gem of a show taught me valuable lessons that I will carry with me as I reluctantly venture into post-grad adult life. Something tells me my grandmother would be proud.
1. If you’re ready to move out and live on your own, that’s great. If not, that’s okay too!
There’s no shame in saving your money for a while and living at home.
2. This is a great time to embrace your domestic side.
Takeout is a beautiful thing, but cooking your own meals will save you a lot of money.
3. You may be swamped with student loans and bills, but keep a positive attitude and be confident about all of the skills you’ve learned throughout college!
4. Job interviews are nerve-wracking, but anticipating questions you might be asked will help you feel ready.
Prepare responses for when you’re asked to give your interviewer a description of yourself, your biggest strengths and weaknesses, and situations you’ve experienced at work or school where you’ve had to overcome any struggles. You’ve been through enough group projects to have plenty of stories for answers to the last option!
5. As tempting as it may be, don’t lie on your résumé.
There’s a good chance of it coming back to haunt you. Instead, make a case in your cover letter and interview as to why the skills you do have fit the company and position for which you’re applying.
6. Don’t sell yourself short when it comes to your accomplishments and work experience.
7. Prepare some questions to ask at the end of your interview.
You can inquire about day-to-day responsibilities of the job, and how soon you can expect to hear back from your employer.
8. Be flexible and open to whatever challenges your job may throw at you.
9. Commuting to and from work is much more bearable with some music.
10. Make the best of any working conditions.
11. Dress nicely, but practically.
12. Bonding with coworkers makes any job a lot more fun.
13. Any career venture comes with unexpected learning opportunities that can come in handy in the future.
14. If you goof up, it isn’t the end of the world.
15. Lastly, as much as you may be disappointed with your job opportunities right now, don’t let it get you down.
You never know where you’ll end up in the future!
