After College, What Next?

When you graduate from college, what can you expect? Will your degree get you the high-paying job that you’ve always dreamed of? Will you be able to easily make friends with people who are just as socially awkward as you are? Will your college experience prepare you to live independently on your own? While some parts of your life will change with your new status as an alumnus, others will stay the same, and still more will actually improve! Here are some of the things you can expect in life after college and tips on how to handle them.

Don’t expect everything to be handed to you

One thing I wish I knew before graduating was that everything isn't going to be handed to me. That's not the reality for everyone, and it can actually be more stressful because you'll need to work so much harder for success. 

I also found out that just because something is hard or even downright impossible to do, doesn't mean it isn't worth trying anyways. You should always take the chance when you can because it might lead you somewhere incredible or teach you something new along the way! 

Most importantly, we all have the ability to change and grow in our own ways; so don't expect yourself to stay the same for ever and keep trying your best everyday! It will pay off someday :) 

Follow your dreams because you never know what they can lead you too <3 

Lastly, always remember that people will come and go in your life but don't let them affect your happiness :) Your friends are very important to you during college, but sometimes they won't want to hangout with you after graduation. It can be difficult at first when this happens, but remember that there are many other people who will want to hangout with you instead :) Just like how these friends came into your life at the right time and were able to help shape who you are now as a person--you too have the power of shaping others lives in return one day! Stay strong ❤

Let go of your ego

One thing I notice in particular is the difference between what people think they're going to be doing and what they actually end up doing-- or are qualified for. That can happen with so many things, not just careers. I know when I left school, my self-image was all about having this super fancy office job-- sitting on the beach while talking on my cell phone all day long, it's good money but I'm lazy and why should I work hard? You'll have your butt handed to you. If you want that kind of life for yourself and like taking risks, great! But if you want security and stability, plan ahead. No one will hand it to you unless they need someone desperate enough who doesn't care about anything else. Get an education first-- because once you go into the working world without one, your options are much more limited. Think about how you want to live your life now, and invest accordingly. The career isn't everything-- make sure that you find something that balances work, personal time, and socializing with friends/family. Your happiness really does depend on these factors as well as how much money you make. Don't forget the small things too-- like hobbies outside of work and getting plenty of sleep every night. It makes all the difference in how successful (and happy) we are overall! For example, let's say you love to draw. When you come home from work, take some time for drawing. When there are worries weighing down on you during the day, take a break from them by drawing. These little things make me happier than I could ever say!

Try before you buy

In the idealized life, you will graduate with your Bachelor's degree, go on to graduate school for your Master's, then finally land that prestigious job with a great salary and benefits in your field that allows you to purchase any car or house you want with little effort. However, this dream is not what most recent college graduates face when they start their new lives after graduation. With student loans looming over them and no full-time employment, many end up living at home or with roommates until they can get on their feet financially. The truth is: it doesn't always work out like we expect it to. 

So if you're one of those people expecting that just because you have an education, life will be easy- well sorry! You're in for a big surprise if things don't go as planned. So my advice to all those recent grads who are reading this blog post? Save your money! Put some away for later on down the line. Live at home or with roommates if you have to. Stay in your hometown or move back there temporarily so you can save money and find a job faster than if you were moving around constantly trying to find something. Get used to being single- chances are, whoever you marry now won't be able to provide financial stability either! Remember that although it may not seem like it now, getting married has pros and cons too; just ask anyone who got divorced. But I'm getting ahead of myself here; let's continue with the blog post...

Get real world experience

After you graduate from college, there's a lot to think about. Sure, you've been thinking about this your whole life, but when you finally get to that point, it's an entirely different beast. The road ahead is littered with seemingly unlimited opportunities and that can be pretty overwhelming; it's natural to have trouble deciding what to do after college and where to start looking for work or an internship. With the help of this guide, hopefully the next few years will go smoothly and you'll be on your way before you know it! Here are five tips that I wish someone had told me about how to get real world experience after graduating from college. 

2) Stay in touch with people you met during school: Remember those people you were friends with at school? It might not seem like much now, but those people could be extremely helpful later down the line. Maybe they could introduce you to someone in their network who could give you a job lead, or maybe they might want some more help around their house. Keep in touch as often as possible so these connections are strong when they need them most! 

3) Be organized and set clear goals: In order to make the most out of your time post-graduation, stay organized by setting clear goals for yourself. If you know exactly what you're working towards, it will feel less like trying to find a needle in a haystack. 

4) Network, network, network!: Another important tip for anyone post-college is networking. Whether through an alumni association or career fairs or something else altogether, building relationships with people that may one day hire you is key to success. Plus, meeting new people always seems fun - even if just briefly! 

5) Take risks!: But remember to take calculated risks when considering opportunities. Whether this means asking your boss for more responsibility or talking up your skills in interviews, sometimes doing something slightly uncomfortable (even if scary!) can pay off tremendously in the long run.

Ask questions (including the tough ones)

-What do you want to do for the rest of your life? 

-How does it feel to no longer be called freshman or sophomore? 

-Do you feel prepared for the real world now that college is over? 

-Have you realized that this is reality, not just college anymore? -Do you know what job you want after graduation? 

Many of you are thinking about the same things I was when I graduated- things like jobs, postgrad plans, moving back home. That sounds really tough; we're going to face these challenges together as friends and classmates. And if none of those ideas sound good enough yet, don't worry! We've got time on our side (at least six months). Take care everyone!

Be ready for change

We set out to go to college with a plan, but life has other plans for us. We head off to college with dreams and ideals about what our lives will be like after we get our degree, and are always hopeful that we'll have it all figured out. What happens when those things change? The reality is that life is full of surprises - you might think you know where your career path is going, only to find yourself in an entirely different career field because your work had started to feel stagnant. There's no way to know how things will turn out, but as long as you're always aware that change is coming - no matter what kind it may be - then you can make the most of whatever situation presents itself . When I graduated from college I wanted to be an event planner. Little did I know that my professional background would lead me to become a social media manager for an online retailer. Who knew my undergraduate studies would lead me so far away from my original goals! But now, even though my job isn't quite what I expected, I love every minute of it! It turns out that social media management was something I was really good at, and there are plenty of opportunities for growth within this industry. And the best part is knowing that anything could happen- who knows where this job could take me? 

I'm sure if I had known what my post-graduation future would look like beforehand, I would have been tempted to try and change paths while still in school. But one thing I've learned throughout these years is not to regret any decisions or live life wishing for something else - instead just stay open minded and ready for anything.

Set realistic goals and expectations

It's okay to be scared. You're entering into a new phase of your life, one that is bigger and potentially more demanding than anything you've ever done before. However, there is one thing that should never scare you- accepting help when you need it. 

Reach out to other college graduates or alums in the same fields as you who are also in the same boat to get their advice and support on navigating this uncertain time period after graduation. People from all walks of life have experienced what you're going through, so don't feel like you have to go at it alone- ask for help! Find mentors and look up tips online- just remember to take it slow. Graduating doesn't happen overnight. Graduating takes work and commitment- which you'll find the latter two things lacking during your first few months out of school. I recommend reading blogs such as FiveThirtyEight, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Economist every day to stay informed about current events both domestically and abroad (and yes, I mean every day). Try interning with these outlets to see if any kind of full-time position interests you down the line. But most importantly, set realistic goals and expectations with regards to employment because jobs won't come knocking down your door even if you graduate from a top school like Penn State University. Unless you want to stay living in mom and dad's basement for the rest of your days, you'll need to put some effort into finding a job. Use LinkedIn, Facebook and professional networks like NACE to reach out to contacts- especially those whom may not know that you graduated from school yet. Hiring managers care about personality too, so try not to neglect building relationships outside of just getting coffee with them- take them out for dinner or drinks. I'm sorry if this sounds pessimistic but it would be negligent not to mention how hard it can be after graduating from college when we live in an era where our job security isn't guaranteed anymore. That being said, good luck!