Post-Grad Life

Graduation is just around the corner. All the hard work, tears, laughs, studying, and constant coffee runs have led to this moment. You are being passed on to the next phase of life, post-grad life.

Life after college sounds easy and carefree. While it definitely can be, life has a funny way of making sure you are never bored. Wrenches are constantly thrown into the plans and you never truly know what the next step is.

Here are a few pieces of advice/mistakes to avoid in the post-grad world experienced firsthand.

Rethink Organization

I know this is a common thought that most would think is not worth sharing, but when you begin to take control of your entire life, there are a lot of moving pieces. There are a couple of areas to begin organizing from the start.

Finances

When you are making big kid money, it is easy to let yourself slip into a lot of debt or overspend each month. Create a budget sheet that keeps your expenses in check. Think about how much money you want to put towards certain things like going out, vacations, clothes, etc., and stick to the limits you set for yourself. A full expense sheet will allow you to see how much you are truly spending and if you need to cut back on certain things.

Prioritizing saving is a great practice and should be done with every paycheck you get. Saving for short-term and long-term. Short-term, you could be saving to buy a house, a car, or an expensive vacation you are treating yourself to. Whatever it might be, sock away a bit of money to get closer to your goal. For long-term savings, think about your future self. Would you want to be working at 80 years old? Most people would say no. That is why starting investments like Roth IRAs and 401 Ks are excellent ways to begin saving money and setting up yourself for success later on in life!

Bills are coming from all different ends and it is hard to keep track of what is due and when. Utilize your calendar app to mark when certain bills are due and even put an alert 2 days before to ensure you have money to pay that bill. That way you can have every bill paid in full and on time, helping your credit score.

Important Documents

File folders are not a thing of the past. No way. They are a great, cheap tool to use to keep all important documents organized. I recommend having one per year and creating tabs like:

-Car Paperwork

-House Paperwork

-Medical Paperwork

-Legal Documents

-Taxes

-Investments

-Work Paperwork

This way, you keep the sensitive documents in one place and can find them when you need them. It seems that you always need that one document in a pinch and cannot find it for the life of you. Here is a good solution.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Holidays, and Other Important Dates

Now that you are on your own, your mom is not going to keep sending your grandma’s yearly card and gift for you. It is your time to shine. Make a list of every birthday for people that are close to you and mark them in a calendar. Set a reminder a week ahead to get a gift for them and that way you never forget their special day! You can even set how much you will spend per person making sure you are sticking to your budget. The best app to do this is WILLPORT. Check it out on the app store for Google and Apple.

Declutter

When you move constantly, like during college, things can get lost, and misplaced and somehow you can wind up with a bunch of stuff that isn’t yours. It is important to constantly declutter your home to make sure you are not bogging yourself down with too much stuff. “Extra” can wait. Use everything you have now and wait to buy more until you truly need it. Reuse outfits as much as possible because this will save you a lot of time and money.

Spend Time Alone

Get comfortable being uncomfortable. People have a hard time doing a lot of things by themselves because they fear judgment, or they simply do not feel cared for if someone doesn’t do everything with them. Your early twenties is the time to flourish on your own.

You finally get out of college and are able to start living your post-grad life. You have a whole list of everything you want to do and accomplish. But here’s the thing. It is your list. A lot of the time, friends and family have different lists of priorities that do not match yours. There will not always be someone wanting to do the same things as you. So, you must take the plunge and do them on your own.

Take yourself to dinner and sit and observe your surroundings. Sticking your nose in your phone is not going to help you grow. Keeping yourself present will allow you to slowly become more comfortable going to eat on your own.

Sometimes, there will not be friends or family that can or are willing to go on trips. That’s perfectly okay! Buy the ticket anyways. Make sure it is a safe destination but if you enjoy traveling, why let people stop you? Do it for YOU.

If you are looking to get into a new hobby after college, great! Find something you like and attend the sessions/classes/lessons and meet new people that have similar interests. This will be a great way to spend your time but also allow you to meet like-minded people.

It can be a daunting task to be by yourself with your own thoughts for a long period of time. But the more time you put into yourself and whatever is important to you, the faster you will see results. Growth is a mindset and when you are in the right headspace to allow yourself to be okay with being uncomfortable, nothing will stop you from becoming what you want.

Meet People That Will Build You Up

The world is filled with people that tear each other down one way or another. Find people that will build you up and continue as you progress in life. Surround yourself with individuals that are also succeeding and pushing you to be better in many ways. These are the people that will be there for you. These are the people that you will want in your corner during the good and the bad. Having decent people around you will make or break big parts of your life. Keep your circle tight knowing that quality outweighs quantity.

Build as many people up as you can. Pass out compliments left and right and praise people for their hard work. Compliments and appreciation go a long way and you never know who might need that extra kindness in their life.

Work Hard Now

As I said earlier, you do not want to be working at the end of your life. Life is meant to be enjoyed at all stages. But if you work hard now, it will pay off time and time again. I chose to work multiple side gigs right after college to help bring in extra cash. I was able to travel more, save for a house, invest more, and get better gifts around the holidays. I had financial freedom and I am still constantly trying to improve it so I can have the lifestyle I desire at a young age.

Paying your dues in your early years will set you up for life. The time you put into your work, extra work, and life will change your course for the better as time goes on. Invest in yourself and your future and stay disciplined through it all. There is a major award at the end, we just don’t know what it is yet. Make it a goal to have your future self thanking you right now.

Smile!

There is so much to be thankful for. You have been given a life and despite what has gone on, you are here today. Smile, appreciate what you have, and carry positivity through all that you do.

Post-grad life is a rollercoaster, to say the least. With some insight from What College Didn’t Teach Me, you can be prepared to tackle the years ahead. Keep your head up, and know the phase after college might just be the best one yet. You got this.

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