The Obvious Steps You Would Take After Your Graduation
You’re celebrating, but you’re anxious about your future at the same time.
Finally, you’ve graduated and got yourself a scroll of degree.
After those long years of being institutionalized in the academic system.
I’m 23 years old at the time of writing and just graduated a few months ago. I’ve been in the academic system since I was 4 years old.
That’s 19 years of my life going to school.
Also, that’s 83% of my life.
How do you feel, now that you’ve graduated?
You would say, “It’s a cocktail of feelings”.
Satisfaction, relief, and melancholy.
Hold your horse.
The relief that you feel right now is brief.
Now, you need to think about your next step in life.
“What do you want to do with your life?”
A simple question yet hard to answer.
1. Move out from your parents’ house.
First of all, you’ve got to move out of where you’re staying now.
You know how sweaty moving from house to house can be. Imagine moving 10,000 km away back to your home country. I had to face that as an international student.
You might think, “If you’re going back to your home country, why would you look for a house?”
You already have a place to stay; your home, with your family.
Well, that’s your parent’s house.
Moving back in with your parents is fine. It’s comforting to not worry about paying rent and your mom cooks for you.
But, here’s my personal take on this. It’s crucial that you become as independent as you can be once you’re done with your academic life.
You’re old enough to live on your own, and not depend entirely on your parents.
Imagine a domino stack. Moving out is your first domino piece to lead an independent life of your own.
It’s time to be a grown-up.
So, what do you need to do when you’re moving out of your parent’s house?
You have to look for houses. Find one you can afford with the expected income you’re gonna make in the next 6 months.
If you don’t have the money for the deposit and the expenses, it’s okay to borrow some from your family first. Make it clear that this is their investment in you to gear you up for the next phase of your life after school.
If you’ve been saving up in college, that’s even better.
Assure them that you will generate your own income soon, and be independent of their financial support when the time comes.
In return, you’re going to provide for them.
The return of investment for a passionate and driven child is higher when you send them away to live on their own. An eagle was never meant to stay in the nest.
Parents take note.
Okay, let’s get back to finding the right house for you.
Will it be fully or partially furnished?
Remember not to think just in the short term, you have to consider the long term too.
Consider the location of the place:
- The neighbourhood. Does the community there fit your lifestyle?
- The convenience of transportation for you to go from A to B.
- Nearby shops for your weekly grocery.
Then, if you’re happy with your shortlisted houses, set viewing dates with the agents or owners of the house.
It’s crucial to see the unit for yourself in person to get the feel of living in the house and its environment.
You noticed that I didn’t suggest you live with your friends. There’s a reason for it.
It’s obvious. You’ve lived with your friends for long enough during your university years.
It’s time to stop relying on your mates for your home life.
Live on your own.
Living alone is going to teach you a lot of valuable life hacks that you won’t get if you split the bills with your buddy.
Do it for a year at least.
Trust me, you’ll be well equipped to build a family of your own once you commit to this.
2. Start generating your income.
Warning: Thinking about making money can drain your brain.
Now, you no longer have your monthly allowance from a student loan or scholarship.
Instead, you have to pay back the student loan.
In my case, I have a student loan that’s worth a whopping $500,000. I have to pay 25% of that amount since it was a partial scholarship from the government.
You just got out of the university, and you’re suddenly in debt.
You climbed up a big mountain thinking you’ve reached the top, but, there’s a bigger mountain up ahead to climb.
Tiring isn’t it? Sit for a second and take a deep breath.
How are you going to generate your income?
Well, there are several ways of doing it.
I would distill them down to 3.
- Be an employee by applying for jobs.
- Set up a freelance business with the skills that you have.
- Set up an entrepreneurial business.
All of them are challenging, especially in the beginning.
The first two paths require you to build your resume or portfolio.
The last two requires a certain capital to start up. Plus, you’re going to need guidance from an experienced business mentor, which means, you either have to invest in their service or put yourself out there talking with strangers at business events.
Whatever route you choose, it’s going to be a roller-coaster of emotions. That’s just how life is. You either cry with joy through your up-and-down ride, or you cry with grief. Maybe both.
What did I choose?
Right after I graduated, I chose the second route with an ambitious mind.
I chose to take the path of a freelance writer.
Honestly, I have not yet closed any paying client. The only client I’m serving at the moment is myself through my own online publishing platform.
I believe clients will come once I market to the right client the right away.
I’m working on it.
Every day, I’m squeezing my brain to create content. Through this, I’m honing a different set of skills; writing, design, marketing, branding, video editing, and storytelling.
I find myself living a polymath life.
It’s fulfilling, while at the same time, drying up my meat and turning me into a mummy.
I noticed that the Sun and the moon shuffled in a blink of an eye as if 24 hours a day wasn’t enough.
Dress that up with a handful of anxiety from not making enough money by doing these creative projects.
That’s the cost of trying new things.
The results I could see from doing these projects are mainly social engagements. People vibed with what I wrote, and the videos that I published. It’s a good morale boost.
Anyway, a lot of people were sceptical with this career move. Of course, I’m not making decent money — yet.
The same advice that I keep on getting from friends and families; “You should do this as a side thing and get a proper employment job. So, you have a steady income to pay rent and daily expenses.”
I understand where they come from. And honestly, sometimes I’m convinced by their way of looking at my career. Somehow the need to make money is forcing me to negotiate my dream life and career.
Nevertheless, the most important question to ask here is; what do you want to do every day that you won’t mind doing them for free?
Then, ask yourself; how do you make that a money-making machine?
It’s not going to be a straight-forward answer, but trust me, you’ve got to start somewhere. You’re already taking the first step as you’re reading this.
3. Set your mind to give value to people.
Here’s something you need to know about the market. As long as you can provide values to a certain group of people, the money will come your way sooner or later.
Find the values that you can provide. It could be your skills, ideas, passion, and such. Sit at your desk and write them down in your journal.
Brainstorm the possible ways to deliver those values.
And slowly monetize it.
How do you monetize the values that you provide?
Well, the internet is a universe of information catalogue. You can easily get lost in this crowded space trying to find the answer.
If I have to point to any one direction, I would suggest; learn marketing first.
Learn to sell the values that you can offer to businesses and the community out there.
When you focus on providing values to people, you will be more intentional with the career path you choose: whether it’s employment, freelance or entrepreneurship.
Let me tell you something that will at least make you smile despite the anxiety you’re feeling from being on this unknown intersection of your life:
It’s going to be an adventure.
You’re going to enjoy it and you’re going to hustle.
You will face a lot of rejections from employment application to client acquisition. That will just make you stronger along the way.
Trust me, there is something for everyone, and you’ll get yours.
All you have to do is to keep working towards it.
First, you have to believe in yourself.
Never forget that.
People are going to bring you down with their scepticism.
They will tell you that you shouldn’t do it just because they don’t believe they can do it themselves.
But no, not you.
If you stop believing in yourself, who else will?
Remember, you are more powerful than you think.
When your mind and body tell you that you’ve given your all, that’s just 40% of your true potential.
A lot of times, especially at the start of any journey in your life:
Quantity leads to quality.
Push harder.
Learn more.
Do more.
Take a break.
Repeat.
Yes, it’s good to plan things, but the plan is just a piece of paper without actions.
When you take one action, it will lead to another.
Momentum.
Nike said it best:
Just do it.
Anxiety is a human condition, and everyone experiences it.
You can relate to this.
I’ve been trying to find ways to turn philosophy into practical habits that can help you navigate yourself towards a healthier lifestyle.
The kind of lifestyle that embraces both the happy and the sad moments in life.
Knock knock.
I’m sending an owl to your bedroom window with a personal letter on how to deal with anxiety, self-development, and light bulbs on marketing and entrepreneurship, every week.
If you’re interested, then:
Show the owl where to drop these letters.
