College may be some of the best years of our lives – but, how about the time spent after graduation? There are obviously some major pros and cons to beginning your journey into “adulting” early, so take a closer look into what some of those things may be:
Pro’s
No more tests, or homework
There’s no feeling like getting off work knowing that the only thing you have to do for the rest of the day is have a date with your Netflix account. No more cramming for tests, or starting the hours of homework that you forgot about at 9pm. I’m not saying that you won’t have to prepare for work the next day, or check a couple of emails before bed, but you won’t have to worry about passing that accounting test next week.
You have your evenings back
Not being a student gives you a lot of extra time to do the things you actually want to do. Like reading a book you that you actually want to read. Yes, that means you picked the book because the synopsis looked good and the guy on the cover was hot. You finally have time to go to the gym and make a nice meal for yourself instead of ordering pizza to the library.
Your schedule is consistent
Being a student means that you never know what your week is going to bring. When you are working full time your work schedule is steady and stays generally the same. That means knowing what things you do and don’t have time for. It’s nice to know when you have free time so that you can plan for the things you want to do.
More free time
Free time? What is this strange the thing I’ve never heard of? Yes, growing up means that you can stop the glorification of busy. Take a bike ride after work, join a wine tasting group, take up a hobby that you have always wanted to try and “never had time for”.
More independence
Being removed from the college social scene forces you to be independent and do things alone. This is the time to let your independence blossom. No more following the norm and doing the popular thing; you finally have the chance to do what you want with no judgments from your sorority sisters.
You have more time to focus on your career
Being in the workforce full time gives you the opportunity to keep excelling at work. The harder you work, the more it pays off. It’s hard to stay relevant while working part time when you feel like you are always trying to catch up on the things you missed when you had class. Working full time gives you the chance to be reliable and stable asset to your company.
Con’s
You are grown up, it’s time to decide what you want to do
You know how everybody asks you what you want to be when you grow up? Well, when you graduate people expect you to have it all figured out. That means having the perfect job lined up post grad if you want to avoid the “where are you working” question from your relatives once you are graduated.
Your schedule is less lenient
Although you may have more free time, when you have a salaried job, they expect you to be at work everyday, on time, sharp and ready to go. That means less ski days and more espresso shots to get you through the long work week.
You can’t skip work like you used to skip class
The days of skipping class to catch the perfect powder day with your friends are long gone. Adulting means that people presume you will be at work everyday to work on projects and meet deadlines.
You have to make money and support yourself
Many college students (including myself) had financial help from their parents throughout college. But when you graduate, it’s time to make the big bucks, and by that I mean having money to pay the rent. And let’s not forget about insurance. It turns out that you have to pay to insure your 1883 POS car in case you rear end someone when you are texting at a stop light. Not to mention your phone bill and everything else. I’ve also heard that grown-ups do this thing called investing? Better check out the stock market. Oh and vacation, clothes, and food? Time to start saving.
You stop getting invited to college parties
Yes it’s true; you are no longer invited to the annual kegger from the kid you sit next to in math because people are worried about having “adults” around scaring the freshman. That means you actually have to go new places to make friends and meet new people. I know this sounds hard, but I’ve heard it can be done.
You’re expected to know everything when you are just entering the work-force
Every graduate student is willing and eager to actually use their degree post-graduation. But haven’t you heard that they are looking for a 22-year-old with 5 years of experience who is actually proficient in excel and Photoshop? Shouldn’t have lied on your resume on that one. Turns out applying your homework assignment to real life situations is a lot harder than they said it would be.
Now I’m not saying that you should stay in college for forever, and I’m not saying that graduating college in 2 years is the answer either. But both options offer benefits that cater to different individuals and personality types. Moral of the story: work hard and get that expensive piece of paper they call a degree!