Graduation is finally over. No more nerves, no more wonderment. Time to move on and work, right?

Here are the five things that will happen after graduation that others won’t tell you:

 

You will feel some sort of anxiety, depression, jealousy, or bitterness.

You just completed four hard years of schooling and you feel a sense of entitlement. You earned the

right to have good employment with a decent pay. You went through hell for something better, right?

But all you can seem to find yourself doing is applying for jobs and answering the same

questions over and over, and all you want to do is jump off a huge diving board into a pool of money

and food. You see your friends, some of whom didn’t even attend college, living what appears to be

comfortable lifestyles. You want that; you deserve that. Why can’t you have that? It’s gonna take

time. Be patient, keep applying and follow up on the applications. Bug the shit out of those employers

and show you’re worthy and consistent.

 

You’ll realize how much you are going to owe the school.

The majority of graduates will be alongside you. In debt. Normally, you’ll get a leeway of six months

before a first payment is due. My advice? Start saving now,  pay double the asked amount and be debt

free. If this means eating out less or having less of a social life, so be it. Debt sucks and the more you

have the more you feel helpless. Take control.

 

You’ll begin to have feelings of sadness and you’ll miss your campus.

It’s okay, you aren’t alone. No, obviously you don’t miss the work or homework or long nights spent

cussing out the paper you procrastinated on. But the thought that your routine is gone and you no

longer will see your schoolmates will make you feel a small sadness. It’s alright. Let yourself feel sad. It

was a  nice ride and you made somewhat of a home within those walls of comfort. It’s alright to miss it,

and it’s alright to keep in touch with others and visit the campus. No one will look at you like you’re

crazy.  Okay, some might. But go anyway. It’s nice to visit places you’ve moved on from. It will allow

you to appreciate what you’ve accomplished.

 

You’ll “lose” friends.

I don’t mean that there will be some argument a dramatic exit. Maybe you were one of the

people who took things a little too serious and to heart, while others were simply enjoying living in the

moment. A reality sets in. Perhaps you saw friends weekly outside of classes or maybe you talked to

one person a little more than you intended and formed a friendship. Well, it’s often true that although

those other people loved you and enjoyed your company, they have left school and sometimes left the

idea of your friendship. It’s nothing against you. It’s just simply how they operate. Don’t be silly and

take it personal. Basically, life changes, schedules change, and some people even move away. Instead of

focusing on all the change, think of the better times and appreciate what you had.  There’s nothing

wrong with reaching out to say hello, but never feel bad simply because you once were a priority

and no longer are. Some people are just “out of sight, out of mind” types, but they mean no harm.

 

You will graduate, but you’ll never stop learning.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking learning is over. There are so many beautiful, amazing things to

learn outside of a classroom. Always be open to listening. Understand that someone without a degree

can be just as valuable and worthy of your time as someone who followed your steps. Often, people

graduate and assume others who didn’t follow their exact lifestyle are less than them, and that is very

untrue. Always remember to remain humble, be open to all kinds of people and, although you should

be proud of yourself for accomplishing something not all can do, never ever wear it on your sleeve as if

that is the only thing that you have going for you. If having a college degree is your most prized

possession, fine, you earned it, as did many others, but never think that is all you have going for you.

About The Author

Sumaira Rajpoot is a Blast correspondent

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