First to my fellow seniors, we made it!!! We have fought through four years of stress, work, and tests. It has all come down to a quick walk across a stage, shaking a strangers hand, and receiving a piece of paper. Oh, you’re also probably around 50k in debt and have no idea where to turn yet. It will be okay though because there are thousands of us together in this and maybe if enough crying is heard, someone will send help!
Now if you’re not a senior, that should be enough information to scare the sh*t out of you. Before you ruin your pants, it will be fine because I am about to break down some need to know things that I wish someone had the decency to tell me before graduating. Listen closely because unlike when your biology professor said this, you will actually need this in your future.
12. Start meeting new people- Get outside of your tiny circle and start meeting some of the hundreds of people on campus. Before you know it, you will never have this chance again and you’ll end up meeting people you wish you did freshman year.
11. Don’t stress relationships- If you aren’t 100% happy with where you are, end the relationship. After college you will be thrown into a sea of new people, so there is no reason to settle like this is your last chance to meet someone.
10. Try to stand out!- Instead of staying main stream like everyone else and just going to class and trying to pass, try to be different. Join a club, run for office, or volunteer. That little extra in college can help you in the long run when your resume is in a stack of a 100 others just like you.
9. Network till you die- No one started saying “It’s all about who you know!” for fun. It is 100% true and the connections you make can really help you land that first job. The school doesn’t set up work shops and job fairs for fun, go to them!!
8. Drop your ex(es) like it’s hot- We all know someone who as soon as they even look at a bottle of vodka is scrambling for their phone to hit up their old flame. It is not worth your time or energy to talk to them anymore. After college it’s time to build yourself up, so talking to that dead weight isn’t going to do anything for you.
7. Your resume will be cliché, sorry- You can work on your resume for days, weeks, or even months and it will end up looking quite similar to someone else’s. There are thousands of people out there that you can not escape to be completely different. Instead focus on standing out in person and practice interview skills.
6. If you want to move somewhere, go, go now- After college it will be far more difficult to move back to your hometown, get comfortable, and than try to work up the momentum to move again to your dream location. You’re already leaving college so instead of going back to your comfort zone, start somewhere new and you’ll have to learn to stand on your own.
5. Old internships can help you later- Once you complete an internship do not drop those connections! Even if you don’t work with the same company, you can still get a great recommendation from them and they even may know similar companies hiring. Staying in touch with these connections can help you land the next job!
4. Save money!- Now I’m not talking saving your pocket change to accumulate twenty bucks to go out Friday night. This is serious money saving we are talking. After college there is no food plan, housing is not in your tuition, and 6 months after you graduate, someone will be knocking on your door to start paying back your loans. Scary, right?
3. Jobs after graduation are tough- Don’t freak out if you do not have a job lined up to walk into after you make your way across that stage. Not everyone can get a job that wants them as soon as a diploma is in your hand. Take your time and you can even apply for small jobs until you make it to the dream position.
2. Comparing yourself will only hurt you- There is nothing like killing your confidence with comparing yourself to someone else. You got a B and the person next to you got an A+, so what? You can not always micromanage how you are doing compared to others or it will just hold you back in the long run.
1. Have fun!!- Yes, college is serious and you want to make the most out of your education. There is still time in your four years to enjoy being there also. Whether it is going out, joining a club, or taking a day out of the week to stop studying and just relax. You want to have good memories along with those long all nighters in a text book studying.
