Real World 101
About a year ago I was just about to graduate college and in total freak out mode. I couldn't find a job, I was about to be in a long distance relationship and I didn't know the first thing about adulthood. For the majority of my college years, I had it pretty easy. If I needed to figure something out I either googled it or called my dad. I was delaying the real world as long as possible.
So even though most days it feels like I'm a lost kid in a grocery store, I think I'm getting the hang of it. Here are somethings I have learned to fake until you make as an adult:
Don't ever be afraid to ask for help. Every parent, every coworker, pretty much everyone you're about to encounter out of college has experienced the feeling of being lost. I feel like graduating college is a lot like being a pregnant woman because everyone is going to give you advice whether you want it or not. Take advantage of it and ask them about things that you really don't know about, like 401K plans.
Don't make the same mistake twice. Yes, you're young and you're supposed to be naive but be smart about it. What’s important about this is not the act of actually making the mistake itself, but rather learning from the lessons these mistakes teach us. Don't beat yourself up for something that happened...instead, take it as a lesson learned and promise yourself it won't happen again.
Invest in a really good mattress pad. Someone once told me that you spend your life either in bed or in your shoes, so invest wisely in both. This past year I have cherished nothing more than a good sleep and the fact that a Costco 3" mattress pad was all I wanted for Christmas should tell you everything.
Have faith! This time of your life is pretty testing of your faith mostly because of the unknown. You don't know your path yet and you are pretty much questioning every decision you make. If you have a little faith it can go a long way. Trust in God that it truly will all work out. Believe me some of the lowest points this past year have led me to the highest peaks of my life.
Make sure you cherish your true friends. A true friend to me is someone who has been tried and tested. Someone who is there to cheer me on but also tell me like it is when I need it the most. Keep hold of these gems and don't forget to reciprocate true friendship. Be there for them when they need it the most.
Perception is reality. Even though this isn't high school anymore and you're not haunted by the lame stereotypes, you're still haunted by what people perceive to be true about you. For most people the most that some people know about them is what they're posting on social media. Make sure that the image you're putting out there is genuine and something you won't be afraid an employer will look at, because they will.
Being single isn't a disease. After getting out of my first long term relationship the first thing I wanted to be was single. I just wanted to be on my own. I wanted to worry about myself for a bit. I wanted to figure out who I was. The first thing that people kept asking me was why I was single? Like it was almost a bad thing to be 22 and not seriously dating. I whole heartedly trust that God will put the right guy in my life when He is good and ready. Until then I'm not all that worried.
Learn how to manage your money. For the first time you're actually making something more than that summer job, you get a paycheck or even a salary. In my case it wasn't much but I had to learn to make it work for what I needed it for. A car payment, savings, bills and of course rent. Learn to make it work for you, if you can't on your own I would download the app envelope or mint right away.
Show people respect. Whether this respect is given back to you, it doesn't mean anything. You're an adult now so you gotta step it up and be the bigger person in most situations. This means relationships, coworkers, friends, shoot show everyone respect. Being rude is unnecessary and it is counterproductive to your growth. Even when you are frustrated try your hardest to be understanding and look at the situation in a different perspective.
FOMO (fear of missing out) isn't real. We create our own FOMO when we think that everyone's life on social media is just as it seems. The truth is that’s rarely ever the case. If everyone’s life was as action packed as social media makes it seem, there wouldn’t be as many people on social media. Get out and live your own life!
I hope these tips help and let me know if you have any advice to make it through it all. All I'm saying is that if I can handle life after college so can you.
Tay