Post-College Transition
College life was filled with late nights, cramming for exams, and indulging in the bliss of zero responsibilities. The transition out of typical college life into the world of adulting can come as a shock and challenge for many. No longer are you submerged in a college student way of life.
The following are suggestions on how to transition to real life after college.
Maintain Healthy Relationships
Some of you may be moving back into your parents’ home, venturing out to get roommates, or starting a romantic relationship. Maintaining healthy relationships will ensure that your transition after college goes over as smooth as possible. You do not want to be in a situation where you do not get along with the people in your home. That is a situation that can create a lot of awkward tension in a house/apartment. Aim to have a positive outlook and be content with your circumstances.
Reflect On the Experience
Spending 4+ years at college is a significant amount of time. Think about all of the growth you’ve been able to obtain during that time. There is no way you are still the same person you were when you entered as a freshman. You are now an adult! Reflecting on that makes you greatly appreciate where you are now and the journey you’ve taken to be here. Reflect on specific experiences such as studying abroad, interning, joining a sorority or fraternity. These are all experiences that made your time at college unique. Consider the different perspectives that those opportunities have given you and use them to continuously grow.
Embrace Change
Whether it is a major change you planned or one that was unexpected; note that nothing you do in life should be viewed as a mistake. Every action taken should be seen as a learning opportunity. Every experience you’ve had that may not have gone your way provided you with a lesson. Maybe you didn’t land that dream job right out of college or perhaps you are not happy with your starting salary. Those are all changes that can be embraced for the next time you are presented with an opportunity. The next time you are presented with a new job opportunity learn from the mistakes of your past to land that dream job the next time.
Be Your Own Boss
It may sound weird because many will go on to work a “9 – 5” but be your own boss in the sense that your 9 – 5 does not define you. You should have goals you are striving for outside of your structured 9 – 5. That will help keep you motivated. That "9 – 5" is only 8 hours out of a 24-hour day. Assuming you actually spend 10 hours including travel to and from work and adding an additional 2 hours for cooking dinner when you get home; you would have only used half of the 24 hours in the day. There is another 12 hours of a day where you can sleep and be your own boss. If you have a talent or a skill that is amazing, be your own boss and monetize from it. Create an Etsy page for those crafts or paintings you do on the side that you don’t really publish. Attend more conferences and develop yourself as a working professional. Be your own boss in the sense that you seek out opportunities that are more beneficial for yourself and your own growth.
Take Every Opportunity
This may sound repetitive but think about the countless opportunities that we have let slip away because of doubt or not being self-assured. Take opportunities like meeting others within your organization you would not normally interact with, take a class on a subject you couldn’t take while you were an undergrad, take opportunities to travel and take on short-term work assignments. As stated before every experience you have in life is a learning opportunity. The idea of taking every opportunity will undoubtedly open more doors for you. Do not stretch yourself too thin but consider the ways in which you may be limiting your growth and seek opportunities to change that.
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