College — the best years of your life, even though often times it can feel like the worst years of your life! College is the easiest thing for a young adult to develop a love/hate relationship with. On the bright side, you can say we’re living good. We’re out from under our parents’ thumbs, we’re staying out as late as we feel like it, we’re pursuing our dreams, and we can pull that “I’m a full-time student …” crutch from under our arms to get a little sympathy every now and then.
After the house parties go from the highlight of the weekend to the last place to be caught dead ever and prerequisites turn into classes that just seem like they’re out to wreck your GPA, college starts to seem more like a trap than an escape. As transformative and exciting as it is, college goes from 0 to 60 in no time. One minute you’re a carefree freshman relishing in your first refund check, and the next you’re constantly wondering how to manage your adult problems and adult expenses with a college course load and what feels like a high school budget.
Even with everyone in your ear telling you to enjoy where you’re at and that post-grad life is nothing to play with, the last remnants of that rebellious teenager sit on the other side of your shoulder to whisper, “They’re wrong, they’re just not doing it right.” Her Campus is here to play devil’s advocate and let you know that the difference is in the preparation! You can have the post-grad life you dream of! All it takes is a solid plan, sacrifice, saving, and seeing your post-grad plans through to the finish line!
Mold Yourself for Your Future Career
Start thinking of the exact career you want. Search for job listings and look at the requirements. If the position asks for 2-3 years of experiences, look into internships or entry-level positions that will help you acquire this experience. If you see many listings preferring an applicant who is proficient in Microsoft Office or WordPress, etc. look into mastering those programs.
While you’re researching you may even want to go the extra mile and see if you can find anyone on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or the company’s website that currently holds the position you aspire to have. Look at their accomplishments and try to align yourself in your own unique way.
Location is Key
Look into which location is best for you to live your post-grad life. Going straight to NYC or LA could be a longshot for you, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for moving back to your hometown; especially if you think it will put you in a post-grad slump or not offer you the support you need. If you’re not hopping straight to grad school, look for jobs in vibrant cities that have high-paying jobs and a lost cost of living like: Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Houston, or Kansas City. If you take the time to explore your options, you may realize just how possible your post-grad dreams can be.
Budget Baby Budget
The key to you making this post-grad plan a reality is having a realistic budget, one for now and one for later. It is of dire importance for you to save a little bit of all of the money you receive; even if it starts out as only $25 from every paycheck. Start putting money away for this perfect life you plan out in your head when you need that last shot of motivation to finish that term paper.
Also, create a future budget. Your post-grad plan will revolve around it. This will help you figure which job positions are best for you according to salary, how much you can expect your monthly expenses to be, or which city is most cost-effective. Things like this sound pointless to look up now without anything set in stone but are sure to help you out in the long run. Facing the facts now will give you the knowledge you need when you cross that finish line!