So… you’re about to graduate soon and you have no idea what to expect after you walk across that stage. This is a situation that many college students feel as they anticipate that special day.
These tips will give you a great idea of what to expect once you graduate college. You no longer need to fear the unknown as you’ll learn the best tips to get you started on your adult journey.
![life after college](https://thrivingindependently.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/life-after-college-1024x683.webp)
How is life like after college?
In short, life after college is like life in college in the sense that it is what you make it.
You won’t notice an immediate change once you graduate, but when you look back, it will be easy to see how much you’ve grown.
The largest difference between university and the “adult world” is that you go from having a few teachers to having many teachers. Life has a way of catching you up to speed very quickly and this is a natural part of the growing up process.
Life after college for my introverted self has been a wonderful challenge. Looking back, I appreciate my formative years in college, but you could not pay me to do it again.
What to do with your life after college?
The oversimplified answer would be “Do whatever you want!”, but we all know that these things take preparation.
Hopefully, the work you’ve done in college will lead to opportunities once you’ve graduated. If you were able to secure a job during college, that is great! You would begin your career and see what life has to offer.
This is not the case for everyone as the future may still be tied to a big question mark.
Some ideas on what to do after college are:
- Travel
- Move to another city
- Stay home with your parents
- Work in the family business
- Continue the job that you had during college.
- Begin your career
- Work for the PeaceCorps
- Pursue higher education
There are many possibilities to consider once you graduate from university. Financial circumstances, family pressure, health, etc can all impact the decisions you make once you graduate.
Just remember that your life is yours to live and that you have to make your own decisions. It will do you no good to compare yourself to your peers, so try to focus on improving in your own way.
![life after undergrad](https://thrivingindependently.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/life-after-undergrad-1024x683.webp)
Is it normal to feel lost after graduating college?
Absolutely! People underestimate the life change that happens when you graduate from college. You have probably lived in a structured environment for as long as you can remember and this is the first time where you are in full control of your life.
We spend all of our youth craving freedom and when we finally get it after graduation, it is terrifying. There are way too many options and that is a lot of pressure.
Feeling lost is normal and every college graduate can relate to this experience. You have to do what works for you and decide what you want your life to look like.
Lack of direction is not an easy problem to solve, but you have to trust that the decisions you make will lead you where you want to be.
Is it okay to be unemployed after college?
This is a reality that many recent graduates face. Life after college can be daunting when you do not have anything planned before you graduate.
Whether you began applying to jobs late or were plagued with job rejections, unemployment can be difficult to navigate. Fortunately for you, unemployment can be temporary and there are many recent graduate programs and organizations who help people find employment.
Being unemployed is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when you are a recent graduate. The job market is competitive and unexplored territory.
You’ll learn that the job market is really a place to get in where you fit in at first. After you get your foot in the door, then you’ll find opportunities to move around or apply for different jobs.
Keep applying and you will eventually find a viable opportunity for yourself.
How do I start my life after college?
The best way to start your life after college is to gradually transition. The change may be more disruptive if you plan to move soon after you graduate to a new place where you’ll start your new job, where you don’t know anyone.
Everyone’s capacity to handle change is different, but remember that the change you’ve experienced in the past may have been out of your control. You are now in control of your decisions and the path that you choose for your life.
Knowing yourself and the pace that you need in order to thrive is essential to starting your life after college.
Undergrad Transition
A common misconception that people in their last semester have is that their post-college lives will begin after they graduate. This is dangerously false and if you wait until you graduate to consider what you will do, you are probably late in the game.
The funny part about the job searching process is that many jobs require that applicants have “experience” or a certain number of years performing the tasks to consider an applicant for a position. As you can imagine, this may prove difficult for someone who has spent the last four years of their life as a full-time student.
Some students circumvent this issue by applying for internships during their sophomore year. These internships give students credibility on their resumes and increase their chances of employment after college.
Don’t lose hope if you have not been able to take advantage of these opportunities. If you weren’t able to work or participate in internships through college, you may have to change your strategy.
Through networking, you may find your first position. This is a skill that is great to have and better if you can learn to do it early.
People do choose other paths when it comes to being a recent graduate.
Some people may choose to travel, explore their hobbies, or continue their education. Graduating college is a huge accomplishment that takes hard work and dedication. Taking time to decompress can be transformational for a young adult’s mental health.
Your First Job Probably Won’t Be Your Dream Job
A great first lesson after you graduate college is that your first job, regardless of the industry or the pay, is probably not going to be your dream job.
If this is your very first job out of college, you probably don’t have a good idea of what you really want. You haven’t had the chance yet to determine what is actually important to you.
No workplace is perfect; however, each workplace is suited to a certain type of employee.
Take your first one as an opportunity to learn more than anything else. When I say learn, I am mainly referring to the logistics of actually having a job. Some examples of things that you’ll encounter are:
- Health plans
- Benefits
- Retirement
- Tax documents
- Tax withholding
- New Software
- HR
These things are all associated with starting a new position at a company. This information will all be thrown at you in a short period of time, so learning and making mistakes with your first company will prevent future ones with your next one.
Also, remember that unless you sign an extended contract, you can always leave! No job is permanent and you should use this to your advantage to get to your dream job.
Be a Sponge
Learning during our formative years was usually centered around school, following a structured curriculum where our competence was assessed by exams.
The “real world” does not work that way. The exams are much less structured, you are the sole individual responsible for the outcomes and the learning opportunities are endless.
Life is a phenomenal teacher in many ways that you would not expect. you’ll find yourself in places that you could have never dreamed of just because of the decisions that you make.
While you are young, it is a great time to be curious and challenge the things that you believe to be true.
The world is your new classroom and everybody can teach you something. A willingness to learn will carry you far.
![is life after college better](https://thrivingindependently.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/is-life-after-college-better-1-1024x681.webp)
Keep Your Hobbies
Once you develop a routine, it is easy to fall into the mundane cycle of life. You may find yourself doing the same things week to week and letting time pass you by.
If you don’t make time for the things that are meaningful to you, you’ll never exceed your own expectations.
The hobbies that you had in college may have been more accessible then, but it is more important now to pursue them. If you stop exploring your hobbies, you may lose the community you created and become lonely.
Hobbies are a great way to stimulate your mind and escape from the repetition that you do every day. To stay inspired and engaged in the world, hobbies are great to have in life after college.
Invest in Your Relationships
Going from college where you are around different people every day to having your own apartment or moving back in with your family can be very challenging for your social life.
When people graduate college and begin working, their lives can become much more isolated. People are often focused on themselves and getting their lives to some state of normal.
It is easy for relationships to become weaker as people become less accessible. This is the time for you to determine the people you really value and actively pursue them.
Relationships can only thrive when the participants are engaged in it. People are beginning to build their own lives and pursue different interests, therefore, it requires more effort for you to maintain your high-quality friendships.
![life after graduation](https://thrivingindependently.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/life-after-graduation-1024x798.webp)
Time Goes Faster As An Adult
After you graduate college, you’ll see that time seems to go by faster as an adult. You’ll think that you just graduated, but look up and realize that it’s been a year, then two years, then five years, etc.
There are fewer markers to indicate distinct times of the year. For example, you had junior prom, a senior banquet, etc. In life, you have the holidays, but those come every year, so it is easy to get confused.
I write this to warn you to be intentional with how you spend your time. If you have been planning to do something, it is best to get to it! Time is of the essence and you want to have great memories to look back on.
You don’t need to do anything extravagant, but doing your best to live without regrets will help you to make decisions that will result in a higher quality of life.
Final Thoughts
These are the top lessons I have learned since becoming a college graduate. Graduating college is a huge accomplishment and life after college can be a welcome challenge.
What are the lessons you’ve learned since graduating college? Leave them in the comments below!
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