Life after college can prove to be challenging in more ways than one. As a recent graduate, I have found more difficulties in the transition than I could have ever imagined (and it's only been a month and a half).
These are my top 5 things:
1. Moving Back In With Your Parents Is Hard.
Your family keeps asking you the dreaded "so, what's next?" question, your mom keeps telling you to make your bed, text her when you're leaving and returning home, and saying it's "unhealthy" to eat pasta for dinner every night. Leaving your college dorm or apartment where you decided when and where you ate, when you slept, when you came home (or who you came home with,) is a big change to the rules and regulations of living at home.
2. Finding A Job Is A Lot Harder Than Anyone Told Us.
As a Communications major, I'm finding it really difficult to seek out a job. Personally, I have given up on finding something I will actually enjoy and have mainly looked for something that pays any sort of money. I will even accept being paid in cookies at this point. Not only is a Bachelor's Degree necessary, but now we need "2-3 years experience" with a "Master's Degree preferred" for entry level, might as well pay in cookies, jobs. No one warned me about this, I'd like my lifetime of debt back, please. Um, can I go back to sleeping, drinking and hanging out with friends as my occupation? Thanks.
3. Seeing People From High School Is Awkward.
Not only do you never know if it's "okay" to say hi when you see them in line at the grocery store but you never really know what to say. I always end up awkwardly waving and either they look at me funny as if I am a complete stranger, or we end up talking for way too long about people and memories from 4 years ago.
"Oh my GOD, remember our math class?! That was so fun!"
How could I forget that you only spoke to me to cheat off my tests...great seeing you!
Ultimately you'll end up saying something like "we should get lunch sometime!" and never speaking to them until you run into each other at the grocery store...again.
4. Returning to your summer job is weird.
Suddenly everyone you work with is 15 years old, your supervisors and managers are all your old friends from past summers and every time a customer gives you an attitude, you repeat over and over in your head, “I have a college degree, why is this happening?”
I am far too old and educated to be listening to someone complain about the freshness of their popcorn or the price of movie tickets. I did NOT sit through several hours of Western Civilizations and bury myself in debt for this, Susan.
5. You REALLY miss your friends.
Don't get me wrong, I love the people I'm still close with from high school and I love re-connecting with them whenever I am home but I miss my friends from school so much.
I miss always having someone to call up and hang out with. I miss my roommates always being down to watch a movie, go for a Taco Bell run or start drinking at 2:00 p.m. on a Wednesday.
I miss always having people in my apartment, sitting out on the porch, playing games, running into people on campus, going out to bars and spending $14 in a whole night instead of on one drink.
Now that we're all spread out, getting together is an event instead of a daily thing. I know we will be friends for a lifetime, but I miss seeing them whenever I want.
While I really don't think I will miss classes or exams, I am going to miss college more than I ever expected I would. The transition from being in school to graduating has been a difficult one, but I know that in the end, we will all become successful people because of our time at school.
