This December, like every December, begins the graduation season for many universities across the country. Usually, these events are joyous celebrations for everyone involved: you're celebrating 3-4 years of hard work and dedication to your studies. However, graduation can come with some anxiety and fear.

Mainly, the anxiety of the post-grad job search.

While some students have jobs locked and loaded for after graduation, many are just beginning their foray into places like Indeed and Glassdoor where they'll scourer the job listings for a career that's perfectly suited for their degree. In a perfect world, they'll find their dream job where they'll get to be doing what they want to do also while making money in the process. They'll dream about being able to afford things like rent and food for once in their young lives. In a perfect world, these dreams become reality.

But, of course, the world is far from perfect.

In reality, college grads will be applying to jobs and hearing nothing back or getting an interview and getting a letter of rejection a couple days later. They'll become frustrated with the job search and become envious of friends and peers who land that amazing job in New York City. They'll lie awake at night, wondering what they could've done to make their chances at finding a job a whole lot better. Hell, they'll even begin to doubt their degree, thinking that they've wasted their time on it.

How do I know this? because I lived in.

For a good couple of months after graduation, I was miserable. I felt like no matter what I did, I would never be gainfully employed. I had great interviews with potential employers, but in the end, I ended up not getting the job for whatever reason (probably someone better than me came along). I was eventually employed at one of my favorite clothing stores in the mall, not making a lot of money of course, but making enough to get by and enjoy myself.

But was it the job I was looking for? hell no.

However. it's a stepping-stone to bigger and better things.

Here's my point: don't be afraid to start small. If you're having trouble finding an amazing job right out of the gate, go ahead and take that job at Banana Republic. There's no shame in working in the service industry as your first official adult job. So many others had to grind like crazy before they got where they are, they just don't want to admit it. Don't let anyone else write your story but yourself. Is it good to have guidance? yes, it is. But don't let other people's guidance control your decision making.

Trust me on this: take it easy, take it slow. Don't be in a rush to become a full adult just yet

Trust me, you'll enjoy the post-grad life much more if you do.