College isn’t just about booze, late nights roaming the towns with friends and cramming for tests.
College students put in four years of hard work: working their butt’s off at unpaid internships, that may or may not be helping them towards their career path, countless papers, late nights in the library and most of all, it is difficult to decide the fate of the rest of your life when you’re a mere 21 years old.
How can you ensure that what you want now will be what you want 20 years from now? The bad news: you can’t. The good news: it’s ok not to know, you can always change your career path down the road. It’s never too late to be the person that you want to be. There are many comments and pieces of advice that you will hear after college that people believe to be helpful, but really they only add to your stress. Don’t listen.
- -I know the job market is tough right now, unemployment has been at an all-time high, and the jobs that are available are super competitive. Any luck yet?
- -When does interest kick in for all those loans you took out?
- -Maybe in the meantime, you can get a part-time job to get a jump on your payments.
- -I bet you’ll be happy to have your parents help, now that you’re living under their roof again you don’t have to pay for food or any of that.
- -Find any potential husbands? Preferably a rich one?
- -Where do you see yourself in ten years?
- -What do you mean you’re not going to grad school?
- -I probably would have majored in something a little more sensible than that if I were you.
- -Journalism is a dying field.
- -Did you make Dean’s List? What was your overall GPA?
- -It helps to have connections. Did you go to any networking events?
- -College are the best years of your life.
- -___ had no trouble getting a job. Are you sure you’re looking?
- -Do you have any place to live?
- -How much debt did you manage to rack up?
- -Well… What do you want to do?
Parents, Grandparents, Friends, and Neighbors: Your college graduate knows that you mean well and you want to see them succeed, but they are aware of how tough this world is! Be easy on your grad and let them enjoy their graduation. They will get a job and move out eventually.
Graduates: Breathe. Enjoy your graduation! You made it all four years and you deserve to celebrate. Just don’t celebrate for too long, you have just bought yourself a one-way ticket into the real world. Real life begins now. Whether you think you are or not, you are ready.
