Postgrad life is a fun, exciting, and stressful time. It’s filled with up’s and down’s and you’re constantly trying to figure out your place in this world. It’s tricky because there are a lot of options out there and you want to make the right decision for your present and, more importantly, your future. Don’t stress too much, though. Try to go with the flow and do your best to avoid decisions like these:
Not Taking A Break
Take a break after you graduate college! Travel and enjoy some R&R, you deserve it! A lot of people go out of the country for a change of scenery after college. If you have the money, you should definitely do it. But if you don’t, you should do something else. Spend some time up north or go visit a friend out of state. You can even stay at home with your parents. Just try to enjoy this break you have and do nothing. Seriously, nothing.
Refusing To Move Back In With Your Parents
Moving back in with your parents after living alone (or with a roommate) is hard. I’m not going to lie to you. It’s going to be a little irritating but it’s going to save you a lot of money in the long run. Even if you’re working, you should seriously consider keeping your parents as your roommates; at least for a little while so you can save as much money as possible.
Not Letting Yourself Freak Out
Graduating college is kind of scary, it’s one of the most uncertain times of your life. It’s okay to freak out. Let yourself feel anxious and nervous. Don’t pretend that you’re perfect and have everything figured out. Be honest with yourself. Odds are, all of your friends are feeling the exact same way!
Focusing Solely On Getting A Job Relating To You Major
Your college major shouldn’t define what you do out of college. I know that might sound silly. After all, you spent the last four years focusing on one, specific field of study. True. But you also took a ton of other classes that taught you how to critically think, ask questions, and use quantitative reasoning to solve problems. You can do anything with those skills and if you’re feeling explorative, you shouldn’t be afraid to step out of the box.
Avoiding A Change Of Scenery
Do you have an itch to move somewhere else? Somewhere away from your hometown? Do it! There’s no better time than right out of college! Not only will applying out of state provide you with more job possibilities, but getting a job somewhere else will give you the push you need to start somewhere fresh. Your new job could also pay you to relocate so you won’t have to pay too much out of pocket.
Not Paying Your Student Loans
Whatever you do, don’t forget about student loans! You might not be working a full-time job right out of college, but don’t let that stop you from at least making the minimum student loan payments. The longer you defer those payments, the more you’ll end up having to pay. You might hate the idea of having to skip brunches or dinners just so you can make payments, but you’ll feel way better when you’re in your 30s and out of debt!
Trying To Keep Up With The Joneses
I really can’t enforce this idea enough — it’s SO important for recent grads to save their money. I know you might want to live life like you’re a Kardashian but, unfortunately, you’re not a Kardashian. Traveling around the world and spending hundreds of dollars on clothes and beauty products isn’t exactly a realistic, or smart, idea. It’s okay to splurge every now and again on things that make sense to splurge on. Just don’t go overboard.
Applying Anywhere
Don’t just apply to any job you see online, make sure it’s something you actually have interest in doing. What are you passionate about? Go for jobs that relate to that passion, so you can grow with a company, and career, you believe in. So many recent graduates make the mistake of accepting the first job offer they receive because they think they have to. You don’t have to! This is really the only time you can be picky about your job.
Forgetting To Enjoy This Time Of Your Life
This time of your life goes by very quickly. You’ll blink and suddenly you’ll wake up married, with a family, working non-stop and trying to keep yourself afloat. Getting older can be fun, but it comes with a ton of responsibilities. Don’t rush what’s bound to happen in a short time. Enjoy being lost, trying new things and failing over and over again. You might be in a rush to have your life figured out, but there’s no need to rush this part in your life — it’s the best part!