As with all things, we all find our own way, so please take what I'm about to tell you with a grain of salt. Just a year out of college, here’s the best advice I never got when I graduated.
The 10 Things They Should Tell You
When You Get Your Diploma
1. Congratulations! You made it! Graduating from college is no small feat. No matter where you graduated from, what degree you received or what your grade point average you deserve a round of applause (and drinks).
2. Don’t sell your textbooks, your papers, or any course materials. You’ll kick yourself later for not having those reference materials handy. Countless times I have wished I had not sold a few of my textbooks. I am always happy I kept the ones I did. Who knew that books were useful outside of the classroom?
3. Don’t go straight to graduate school. Two days before my first graduate school class I had a sinking feeling. I was far behind in my preliminary coursework. Every word of my required reading assignments felt like work, a bizarre thing for a voracious reader like myself. I realized, like a bride before she says, “I do,” that this was a moment that required honesty when I asked myself the question, “Is this what I really want?” An hour later I was driving away from the University of Florida, having withdrawn from my masters program. I wasn’t ready for that kind of time, financial or mental commitment.
4. Don’t move back home. Take it from me, because I did. For me personally, home is a safe cocoon of love and indulgence. Let’s be honest, when are we ever motivated to push ourselves to excellence when mom is stocking the fridge with your favorite foods, baking your favorite cookies and you keep running into your old high school friends?
5. Don’t be afraid. There are very few of us who know exactly what our next steps are after graduation. Embrace the ambiguity. Every moment of your life is an experience you will undoubtedly use later. Don't kill the possibilities with anxiety. Engage yourself in skill-building activities that you never had the time for during college. I learned to garden and became a better cook. I started meditating.
6. Do stay in touch with professors whose classes you genuinely enjoyed. If you do decide to go to graduate school later you will need their recommendations. Don’t forget to thank them for their help and guidance when they offer it to you.
7. Your GPA does not matter (as much as you think). Grade point average is important, but it will not make or break your career. Your extracurricular activities during college matter just as much. Remember that you learned a significant amount outside of the classroom, too. Street smarts are just as valid as book smarts. This is real life, now, not college life.
8. Internships are the next entry-level job (for now). Face it—we are still recovering from the Great Recession. If you cannot find your perfect post-graduation job don’t be afraid to take a post-baccalaureate internship. It’s okay to be an intern during the day and a waitress at night. I did and it jump started my career. Without the invaluable experience I received I would not be where I am today: exactly where I want to be (for now).
9. The business world is all about relationships. Cash might be king but relationships make the world go round. Remember names, send thank you notes, mind your manners, speak highly and honestly of your associates and be an upstanding person. Manners matter because they are increasingly rare.
10. Forget your dream career. When I was younger I wanted to be a ballerina, a doctor, a lawyer, and an actress. I now work in public relations. The road I took to this place has been anything but linear. If you have a career goal do not be shy in your efforts to reach it. However, don’t be against stumbling into something that could be better.
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