7 Things I Wish I Knew After College Graduation

Spending the last 4 years out of college (ouch, it hurts getting old) feels like another graduation of sorts. For many, it’s graduating to the next level in their careers, relationships, and/or independence. But graduating to the next level of maturity allows us to have an altered perspective of the world around us. Now I have more experiences under my belt; I have made a ton of mistakes, moved to different states, held various jobs, and met even more people from different walks of life. The perspective I have at 25, almost 26, is very different from my 22-year-old view of the world. If I could go back to college graduation, these are things I wish I could tell myself:

1. Don’t take the first job that’s offered to you. Unless it happens to be your dream job then by all means, take it. The job offer you are about to accept and believe is your ticket to adulthood will leave you grossly underpaid and totally miserable forcing you to spend every day trying to find a new one. Just because you can’t find a job in a tough economy doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be selective. This lesson will aid you in every job selection you make from here on out.

2. You’re going to make really poor dating decisions. eHarmony is not worth the money, dating someone 12 years older than you isn’t a good idea, you really need to stop talking to your ex, and that guy on OKCupid, that you think likes you, really just wants to sleep with you. The good news is you’ll have a lot of really great stories that will one day inspire you to write a book.

3. Knowledge is power but you still don’t know everything. You think you already know everything but tell everyone you know you that you don’t, but secretly you still think you do; that is, until reality bitch slaps you across the face and you realize you absolutely do not. Every day you have an opportunity to learn something new. Acting like you know what you’re doing even when you don’t only makes you look stupid. Taking the time to listen and showing your humility will make you look much smarter.

4. Stop drinking like you’re in college. You live for the weekends to drink your face off because you “just can’t” deal anymore. You have a real job now and it’s stressful. If you drink yourself into oblivion, you think you can hold on to the small piece of college you have left in you and forget about that shitty week. But it will also make you gain weight, feel like shit, and help you make poor dating decisions. Slow down, crazy. Having a little too much to drink every once in awhile is fine, but every weekend is a bit excessive and sounds like a drinking problem.

5. You’re really selfish. Seriously everything revolves you. It’s all about what you want, what you feel, what you need. While it’s important to focus on you and establish yourself in your career, it’s even more important to foster the relationships you have and the new ones you make along the way. No one wants to be friends with or date someone who only thinks about herself.

6. It’s not that serious. Chances are the things your mother is telling you not to worry about you shouldn’t be worrying about. Getting stuck in traffic, the girl throwing shade at work, not making it to the gym, the weather: these are all not that serious. Spazzing out about stupid shit does nothing to help the situation. You are stressing yourself out so badly that you are literally giving yourself hives not whatever it was you just ate. Take the time to slow down, breathe and evaluate what is really bothering you. It will provide you with a clearer mind and happier life.

7. You have absolutely no idea what you are doing with your life, and that’s ok. You just spent the last 4 years of your life planning on getting a job after graduation and (you and your parents) dropped a shit ton of money to get a piece of paper that certifies you are in fact capable of maintaining said job. You’re hoping like hell that maybe, just maybe, someone will hire you in the field you studied. The reality is life doesn’t always work out that way. The economy will tank, forcing you to take a job you shouldn’t. You’ll apply to your dream job and bomb the interview. You’ll be fired for looking for a new job and have to start all over again by accepting an internship out in Chicago. All these experiences will not only teach you the determination, dedication, and resilience you have within yourself to shape your career, but help you discover you’re exactly where you need to be.