I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

"Adulting" is hard.

There's a whole world past college and this world doesn't include meal plans or free laundry. Once you graduate college, people are going to expect you to get this thing, it's called a job. But honestly, I'm pretty excited about that. When you get a real job, you finally get the opportunity to use everything that you've learned and show the world what you can do with it. Find out what you're passionate about, and get out there and start changing the world already.

Applying for a job isn't going to be easy, it's going to involve rejection and competition and these things called cover letters. Cover letters are a part of most job applications. It's just the company's opportunity to hear your voice a little bit, and get to know more about you than the things they can get from your resume. Cover letters can sometimes be difficult to write, so here are some tips that I've found help make the task a bit less daunting:

1. Don't be afraid to sell yourself

There are a lot of instances in life where people will tell you to be modest and not make everything about you. This is not one of those times. Take advantage of it. You want your potential employers to walk away from this cover letter thinking that you're incredible, and that they have to be a part of discovering you. Think about your strengths, and apply those to the job you are applying for or even to the industry as a whole. Think about your weaknesses. Then forget them immediately, you won't be needing those today.

2. Show why you are different

Show them that you are passionate and that you are going places. Think about what you want to do with your life, and how this position will help you get there. Show them why you really want the position and what makes you different from all of their other applicants. That's great if you want to cure cancer, but thousands of other people want to do that too. Be more specific than that and show that you have done your research and that you have the determination and the dedication to be a great asset to their company.

3. Have confidence

If you wouldn't want to hire you, why would they? Maybe you don't have a ton of experience on your resume. Well everyone has to start somewhere. Everyone has something to offer the world, just believe in that, and put it in writing. This is your opportunity to show how great you are, use it. You're going to do great things with your life, and this is their opportunity to be a part of it. Don't be cocky, just be honest. Also, be polite, that's kind of a given.

4. Proofread. Seriously.

This is probably the most important part. Everyone makes mistakes, but do everything you can to avoid that. All it takes is one obscene grammar mistake for them to think that you're sloppy and irresponsible. You have so much to offer, it would be a real shame if your application was negatively affected because you didn't take an extra five minutes to proofread it. Save yourself the embarrassment later, and go over it just one more time.

5. Have enthusiasm

Getting a job is hard. But once you get a job, that's where the real work will begin. It's easy to sit on your parents' couch and watch Netflix while waiting for life to give you a sign that it's time to grow up. Guess what, that might never happen. Do you want to waste your life? No, I didn't think so. You need to get motivated and excited about your job field, and get yourself out there. And if you aren't excited about your field, maybe that's the sign you're searching for, try something else. Show your enthusiasm in your cover letter, it will make a difference.

And with that, I leave you. Best of luck, you're going to do great!