I cannot believe it’s 4 years! I am sure we seniors can remember when we first stepped into our respective colleges having no idea how our lives will turn out. Alas! we have successfully graduated! Congrats to all the seniors out there! As much as graduating is exciting, it compels one to make decisions pertaining to jobs, graduate school, financial needs among many others things. Some of us might be deciding on what qualities and characteristics we want to portray as we go on in life. Below are five activities/quality I believe would be worth doing or portraying as a recent college graduate.

Never stop reading

Reading is a powerful activity that helps in improving one’s communication skills, writing skills, and ability to understand complex situations. Reading helps in exercising the brain and allowing for the improvement of one’s imaginative skills. In college, we read a lot; both books we are interested in and those we hate. We are constantly in an environment where one’s success is heavily dependent on the ability to read and comprehend, but what happens after we graduate? Would be stop reading? Would we only read manuals for our jobs? Would be pick up reading as a hobby rather than an obligation? To read is to understand many things about the world and to communicate with the external in a non-verbal means. Challenge yourself to keep reading no matter how little. Pick up a book and read for fun. Spend time in the local library for pleasure and allow your mind to expand beyond it’s capabilities. There is power in reading; a power that can only be unveiled by constant practice.

Volunteer for a cause

Yes I know we all get jobs, go to graduate school or do other amazing things that will take up our time. Being out of college is a new and unfamiliar path to us and this transition alone can be a little stressful, however, we should never forget the impact volunteering can have on the community we live in and even on ourselves. As much as volunteering can seem stressful, it can also serve as a way to destress. I personally love to volunteer with the schools in the community teaching students about coding, engineering and even interpersonal skills. Being right there in the room with the kids gives me a different perspective about life. It makes me understand how the little things we all do someday have a large and unexpected impact. Volunteering is about touching lives. It is about letting the community know that we care and are willing to sacrifice a little of our time to give a helping hand. Moreover, volunteering will help us take some minute out of our world of always being on the go to one of relaxation and self-fulfillment. It is rewarding to serve others. Touch a life; help the lost, visit the sick; love the community!

Expand your professional circle

While in college, we actively make professional connections and attend career fairs hoping they lead to a job or admission to a graduate school. Alas, we have gotten the job offer or admission letter and we see no more use for making connection or using the professional networking apps. It is important to note that networking is not a once in awhile activity that is only done when in desperate need of a job. Networking is about being surrounded by highly motivated individuals who challenge you to think, explore and go beyond your comfort zone. It is about being in an atmosphere where ideas are always flowing and where there is always an individual with experience in a field or idea you are interested in. Networking helps build up your interpersonal skills; It also makes the process of meeting new individuals a normal and natural activity. Get out into the world; put yourself out there and make connections!

Know your worth

Being a recent graduate sometimes means that you might be the novice in the team. This can seem a little intimidating especially when surrounded by highly experienced individuals who are brainstorming about the best way to move a project forward. It is important to know that being a recent graduate does not make you less competent, it only means that you have a unique perspective different from that of those who might have been in the field for a longer time. You are there to fill up an empty hole and without you, the team will be lacking. Put on your self-confident cap, take up your space, speak up when you need to, put your ideas on the table and let your presence be known!

Rediscover your passion

Let’s be real, college takes up a whole lot of one’s time. Sometimes its seems as though the professors meet up to decide how to distribute homework so students have no extra time. At times, we get too busy and we might have to put aside things we were passionate about or those things that make our leisure time rewarding. It’s now time to reconnect with your long lost passion and ignite the spirit of creativity in you. Whatever it is you love doing, go for it. Write a book, join a dance class, learn a skill, exercise, spend time with family, make an art piece, join a singing group and let the world experience a bit of your amazing talent!