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College Preview - Life After College
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You’re probably wondering, “How can I even begin to think about life after college, when I’m still trying to figure out life after high school!” But in truth, now is the perfect time to think about post-college. You’ve heard the saying, “Start with end in mind.” Well there’s no better time than now to begin mapping your career goals. Forward thinking will help you better plan your steps in college.
Think about where you may want to live as an adult. Perhaps, you’ll want to enroll in college in or near that city. Consider your ideal career path. This will help determine your major, and whether or not you should consider a minor, or graduate school.
So, imagine that it’s your college graduation day, and come along on this journey. You’ve just picked up your college diploma, what are you going to do next? No, go to Disney World is not the correct answer, even though it is the fun answer. You get to do something much more fun—handle life all by yourself for the very first time. Before you actually graduate from college, make a post-graduation plan to save yourself from some of the shock that can occur after leaving the cocoon of school. "You are now responsible for feeding, clothing, and transporting yourself—not to mention keeping a roof over your head, plus saving for the day you’ll retire and insuring yourself, and paying taxes," says Kristen Gustafson, author of Graduate!: Everything You Need to Succeed After College (Capital Books, $14.95).
Besides telling recent graduates how to find a job, buy a car, rent an apartment, get along with a roommate, and fill a refrigerator, in Graduate!, Kristen Gustafson offers these five bits of advice that most parents and teachers don’t think to give. Keep a journal. "This is one of the most amazing times in your life and the best way to remember it is to keep a journal. And then there may be days when you just need to let off steam and the only things that will listen are the pages of your journal."
- There will be bad days. "You will have some downright terrible days, but for every horrible day, there will be an equally spectacular day. Realize that the situation is not hopeless."
- Set goals for yourself. "Whether you make a formal list, write yourself a check based on future earnings, or whatever, set a goal for yourself. Putting your aspirations into writing gives them a form and gives you a reason to get out of bed every day."
- You don’t have to have it all figured out. "For years you’ve had to make decisions based on what you thought would be best for you down the road. The pervasive mode of operation in our society is to have everything figured out. But, really, you don’t have to know what you want to do with the rest of your life. This is the time to explore, to figure out what makes you happy, and to go for it. Ride by the seat of your pants and enjoy the ride."
- Who you work for is as important as what you do. "You may take a job with someone who is little known or unknown in the industry and it could be the best career move you ever made, if they are a generous and supportive mentor. Your reputation can precede you and the decisions you make now can have a profound effect on your future career. If you work for someone with a bad reputation, yours could suffer as well."
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Which of the following items would you most likely save up for?
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