10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Graduating College

Yay graduation! Woohoo! Funny hats!... Now what? When I graduated college a year ago I found myself with some... unrealistic expectations. The year after graduating was probably one of the hardest ones of my life. All in all, I'm glad that I went through it though. I mean, life points right? Anyway, here are some realizations that I think could have made the whole transition a lot smoother.

1. Job hunting freaking sucks. I'm pretty sure the deepest level of hell is spending two hours filling out a job application only to have them never email you back. Day after day after day... Yeah, they won't get back to you. Honestly, the probability of actually getting a job you apply for online are slim to none. You are far more likely to get a job through people. So, if you're unemployed don't sit at home watching Netflix on the pull-out couch. Go out in the world and meet people! Ask your family or friends to ask around. Something will come up! If your'e in a location where you don't know anybody, try a really social job like a barista, waitress or bartender. It might not be your dream job, but get to know your regulars and keep your ear to the ground.

2. Figure out what you actually want to do. After college I figured out that I pretty much did not want to do the thing I majored in. I feel like a lot of people come to this realization. Calm down, calm down no need to fret. You can learn how to do pretty much anything these days from the Internet. Take time to figure out what truly makes your heart happy, then work toward a tangible goal.

3. Friends post-college are very different. Yeah it sucks, you've known your group of friends since freshman year and you're all soul mates or something. But life changes. Pretty much all of my friends moved away after college so I had to make new friends. New friends? But how? Same as always. Say hi. You can't rely on making friends in your Understanding Latin American Dance class. You've got to kind of put yourself out there. I don't think that everybody is going to be my "Forever Friend." There are a few very special people who stick around and those are the relationships that I really invest in.

4. Money? Can I has? Yes, but figure out how important it is to you. Would you rather do something that you really love and not have a lot? Or would you rather get a meh job, but you get great benefits and paid vacation so you can go somewhere cool? Neither are wrong, you've just got to think about what is important for you. And BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET. I don't care how much you make just please BUDGET.

5. Everybody has their own perspective. This is so important because people are going to be mean to you. Yes, it will happen... a lot. But that does not necessarily make them bad people. If we have learned anything from "Game of Thrones" it's that people are very complicated. Most fights, mistakes and problems are caused by miscommunication. If someone is being a jerk to you, try and figure out if there has been some miscommunication instead of just filing them into the "buttface" category. Always give people the benefit of the doubt.

6. You don't have to climb the corporate ladder. Corporate jobs are not the only ways to become successful. Try working with small business. Often, they pay more than minimum wage. A lot of corporations want to pay you the lowest amount possible. It's like a trap. Maybe start your own business. It'll be hard, but way more satisfying.

7. It's ok to get fired. Like really. This one was a little hard to swallow but it's true. I did get fired. Did I cry about it? No. I know that I work hard. If this happens to you, maybe ask any other employees that you are friends with if there is anything that you could improve on. If nothing else, this shows that you care about your performance. It's not really a dark cloud that will follow you around for the rest of your life. They aren't going to call your mom. Just work hard, do your best, and hope that you are appreciated at your next job.

8. Stay healthy. The "job hunt, latte, fast food, repeat" cycle is probably starting to show both on your bod and in your mood. The stress of the post college existential crisis is enough to make anyone want to indulge in a few too many cartons of Ben & Jerry's. Without your health you don't have anything. Get that train back on track and life will get better. Plus, exercise releases happy hormones in your brain. I take two or three walks a day with pup pup and ride my bike where I can. This has already improved my energy levels and mood. Also, I've started eating a lot better. The change was very noticeable. I have a lot more energy than I did when I was eating a lot of junk food and animal products.

9. No one knows what they're doing. No one knows how to be an adult. We're all just making it up as we go along. I still feel like I'm seventeen. I have no clue about most things. Like taxes. No freaking clue. I just work hard, got lucky a few times, and stuff just worked out. The thing is, you've got to work your butt off for that one second of good luck. When an opportunity comes your way you've got to have your shtuff together.

10. Be your fabulous, unique self. You can run yourself into the ground trying to be what everybody else wants you to be. But this is your life and you are the one living it. You've got to take control of it. Some pretty icky stuff might happen after college, but you can't let those circumstance beat you. Years from now you'll barely remember the hours you spent applying for jobs with a whole box worth of Totino's Pizza Rolls in your lap. Or that time your manager yelled at you for something dumb. You won't really remember that stuff. You'll remember the experiences that made you a stronger, better person.

If you enjoyed this post, check out my similar post 7 Ways to Conquer Anxiety.