A year ago, I was soaking in every last moment of my senior year of college. I was working on my final sports sections of The University Star, finishing up the last few stories at my Statesman internship, going out with friends every day and preparing for graduation.
Since then, life hasn’t been the same in the least bit. I graduated from Texas State University, drove cross country two days later for a two-week Poynter College Fellowship and lived in four different cities: San Marcos, New York City, Houston and Las Vegas. I’ve lost friends along the way, gained new ones, went through more ups and downs than I’ve ever experienced and — most of all — learned a great deal about myself.
I have a handful of friends graduating in the next couple of weeks. Many of them have asked me for advice on how to handle post-graduation life in the “real world.” While I can honestly say my “advice” might be useless because everyone’s situation is different, it got me thinking about what I’ve learned in the past few years and what I wish recent college graduates had told me just before I walked across that stage and into the unknown.
I’m no “real world expert” — at least not yet — but I do have some words of wisdom to offer to those of you who are about to experience one of the most eye-opening times of your lives:
1) Think about yourself. I’m not saying “be selfish.” What I’m saying is take the time to consider what career options you have and make the decision you believe is best for you, free of major influence from family, friends and even significant others. If you have an opportunity to take a job in another city, state or country, TAKE IT! Don’t think about how you might be leaving the people you love. View opportunities like these as ones you cannot pass up and seize them.
2) When it comes to the job hunt, be patient and positive. I spent a little more than four months seriously job hunting and becoming impatient and discouraged too quickly. In retrospect, four months isn’t a terribly long time, and the truth is the job market is terrible for almost every field. It’s important to remember that finding the ideal entry level job takes time. Reach out to your network of professors, colleagues, internship supervisors and whoever else might be helpful to you. Don’t give up, and — if possible — find ways to do some similar work in your free time to keep up practice with your skills.
3) Be open to change. This might be the most important nugget of advice any person could provide. Upon graduation, you will start to realize that everything is changing. Your friends change, your routine changes, your environment changes and you change in more ways than you thought possible. It becomes hard to let go of the past you’ve known for the last several years and move to the virtually unknown future, but trust me: Taking chances and being open to change in every aspect puts you in the best spot for success.
4) Find a hobby. This is something I’ve yet to grasp, since my hobby and my passion has become my work. I’ve heard the best way to spend your newfound free time is to invest your energy in trying something new. Find a class or group that fits your interests and gives you a chance to meet new people. It may take awhile to find something right for you, but exploring is half the fun.
5) Keep contact with those who matter most. Things change so quickly and people are so busy that it’s easy to lose touch with friends. Don’t forget who helped you get to where you are today, and be sure to keep in touch with these people. They’ll most likely not only be helpful to you in the future — they’ll be those you need most now.
There’s so much more to think about and consider as a fresh college graduate, but I’ll leave that to you to learn and explore. Just remember that this time of your life is crucial, sometimes sad/scary, but mostly exciting. Savor every moment until graduation and reflect a year later on how you feel now. The ways you’ve changed and the things you’ve experienced might surprise you.






