For most, graduating college can be a very bittersweet experience. On one hand, you are elated to leave and step into the real world. This means no more 8 a.m classes and late night homework. On the other hand, you have to become an adult and face real-world problems. This means waking up early for work and paying bills on time. Graduating college should be the end goal for many, however numerous students come up short for one reason or another. The important thing to remember is that attending college is a privilege and graduating from college is an accomplishment. Life after college can be an overwhelming thought because it is such a big leap, however with the correct tools you learned in college and the right connections, you will be destined for greatness.
Once you received your diploma and shook the President of the University's hand, you are now officially ready for the real world. This can create huge anxiety as you now have to look for a job to start supporting yourself. Your parents are phasing away from giving financial help, therefore the pressure is on you to hold your own. This may not be such a bad thing. College should have taught you how to interact with people, build character, network and maintain lifelong relationships. These lessons are critical reminders for yourself when looking for your career.
Life after undergrad is not easy by any means, but there is a sense of gratification knowing you do not have to spend most of your day doing classwork and homework. Once you get your feet in the door for your particular field, it should get easier from there. You now feel like an adult. You are making money. You do not have to call mommy and daddy for anything. You begin to see your hard work pay off.
Do not expect anything to be handed to you. Whether you find a career out the gate or not, nothing will come easy. As you know the economy is not doing so well, therefore jobs are hesitant to hire even with a bachelor's degree. It can become tiresome and frustrating. Do not let this discourage you because competition will always be there. Instead, try finding ways to cope by finding time for yourself, treating yourself and ultimately taking care of yourself. The real world can be very harsh, and business is business. Therefore you have to be mentally tough.
Continue to set short and long-term goals. Even if you did not find your career yet, the small things count. Simply reaching out to people and making appearances here and there for whatever it may be can go a long way when trying to find your niche. Do not forget that the world does not owe you anything. This mindset will keep you honest, humble and hungry. After all, it is all apart of being successful.
Finally, have fun and enjoy the struggle. Instead of seeing life at college to be a scary thing, view it as another exciting chapter in your life. I am sure college life had its ups and downs. Well, the same applies to the adult life. Everything is what you make of it. So, good luck and God Speed to all the 2018 college graduates. Your time is now!
