The Affects and Emotions of Leaving Your Favorite Home Away From Home
Going to college is an experience like nothing else. It feels like summer camp - where you get to be with your friends day and night and find who you are. So once you start getting the commencement emails and the list of scheduled events leading up to your final day as a college student, you begin to feel a mix of emotions. At first maybe excited that the coursework is over than fear of finding a job and making your parents proud, maybe nervous of paying off student loans and lastly sadness because you're leaving some of the best friends, memories and the college lifestyle behind you. After you walk across that stage there will be no more sitting in the dining hall for hours watching everybody walk by, no more staying out till all hours of the night, no more spontaneous road trips or random movie nights with your housemates because after graduation there's more expected of you than when you were enrolled in college.
1. Get A Job
Oh yes, the most daunting task of graduating- the reason your parents invested hundreds of thousands of dollars on your education- to get a job. After all those years of career fairs, resume critiques and internships it's time to use your knowledge and get a job. No, don't start applying to your local grocery store or restaurant. It's time to buckle down and start the hunt for a job. As scary as this task may be, I think it is exciting. It's finally time to use the 4 years of knowledge you learned from your undergrad and apply it. No, you may not be making the amount you want and it may not be your dream job but don't settle for just any position. Take the time and look for something that interests you and excites you because this job will play a big role in your life.
2. Stay In Touch With Your College Friends
Although days, weeks, months and eventually years pass after graduation a goal after you leave college should be to stay in touch with your college friends. These girls have stood by you for 4 years. They helped you when you needed advice on which classes to take, helped you study for impossibly hard tests, took you out for a drink when you needed a pick me up, watched movies with you when you needed a night in and always loved and supported you no matter what. These are your ride or die girls, they've seen you at your best and worst and stayed by your side. So regardless of your busy schedule, long work days, or other obligations-shoot these girls a text, a call or make time to see them because they're worth it.
3. Network With Other Alumni
The best part about graduating are the connections you make with people you didn't even know existed. Colleges are like communities and once you graduate the amount of networking available is incredible. You can't go to the grocery store or to a movie without bumping into somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody that probably went to the same school as you. These people are willing to help and want to see fellow alumni succeed! So network, connect on LinkedIn and do whatever it takes to build these relationships because these may be that golden ticket to your dream job or maybe you'll just make a new friend.
4. HAVE FUN
The most important of graduating is to remember that you're still a 20 something. There is no reason to rush into adulthood. Yes, we have more responsibility now between jobs, car payments, student loans, apartment leases and balancing friends, family and significant others - it can seem like that college girl/guy inside of you is gone. So when you have free time, even if it is scarce try and realize you deserve to let loose and have fun. Call up your girlfriends, get a cab and head over to Stout or stay in and binge watch the new season of Orange is the New Black. Whatever you do, do it because YOU want to. Don't cry because you have a diploma, smile because you met the most amazing people at the most amazing college and shared some of the most amazing memories of your lifetime.
