Being a recent graduate is usually quite a scary and confusing time, some of us have it figured out whilst others are still trying to figure out where they want to be. Now that I have a job and an apartment, I often reflect back onto my student years and how much life changes after years of education and how I wish I knew certain things before graduating or rather I knew those things but chose not to take much consideration into them, so these are the 6 things I wish I had paid more attention to.
1. Don't rush life
As we grow up we often hear "don't be in a rush to grow up" and I could not fathom how true those words are until now. Whilst we are in education we have the luxury of getting multiple breaks off school and I tell you now you will miss those breaks. So if you are in between looking for a job and staying with your parents again whilst you have graduated don't take it for granted because when you start working you will only get 2 days off a week and roughly 28 days of holiday which of course you have to use wisely. During this time you should do everything possible to indulge in your favourite activities, visit places and hang out with the people you don't get to see often because again once you start working your time is limited to do everything that you would normally be used to doing and you will be wishing that you had used your free time better when you had the chance.
2. Do not move unless you're ready
Moving to a new city can be exciting and as grads that is what most of us look forward to doing but if life were as easy as just packing your things and leaving more people would be doing it. First of all, getting a job far away from where you currently living may seem like the exciting thing, but you have to think about the reality of it, unless you have been saving for years and are completely financially stable, don't be in a rush to move. Most of us have to spend months commuting from where we are based to the location of our job before being able to afford to move to the new city. I had to commute luckily for only a month from Stoke to Nottingham and I hated it, despite only being an hour drive away from eachother I felt like most of my life was spent being in a car, so I can only imagine what it would be like if the distance was further, although some people might enjoy it. Getting an apartment is not as simple as they make it in the films, you have to pay a deposit (usually one months rent), then pay one months rent on top and of course pay for all the admin fees and that's before buying things for the apartment. It cost me roughly £1.5k before buying essentials for apartment, now not many recent grads have that money, so commuting was my only option until I had saved enough money to move out and luckily I don't live in an expensive city. So the moral, be wise when job searching.
3. Your first job may not be your dream job or even your second
The first job you get after graduating may not be your dream job and that's okay, because every job will teach you something whether it be new skills or teach you where you really want to be. Utilise every opportunities you get in life and make them work in your favour, because there is always a positive out of every situation.
4. Follow your passion
You are not limited to getting a job in the field you have studied, if you suddenly have the urge to change to direction then do it, if you also have talent or an idea whereby you can start your own business then purse it because there is nothing more draining than working for someone else when you know you're destined for your own path, but if you have to work for someone else for a bit to get yourself in the right financial position then do that and gain more skills along the way. Always stay true to what you want to do and do the things that will help to get you there.
5. Your mindset will change
As you enter the big wide world your mindset will change which comes with all the extra responsibilities that you have. You will begin to realise what your parents meant by "life is not as easy as it seems" and it really isn't. Juggling paying rent, bills, a social life, alone time and working will test your time management, organisation and patience so be prepared when you suddenly start sounding like a 30 year old instead of a 20 year old because you have to adjust to adulthood and if you don't then you will make many mistakes, which is also okay because life is about making mistakes and learning from them but some mistakes can be avoided.
6. You might outgrow some people
Everyone matures at different rates and different experiences tend to have an effect on how quick a person matures. So when you find yourself drifting from people you were close to don't be surprised, these things happen in life, because when someone isn't growing at the same page as you, you tend to leave them behind. But it is also important to be mindful that just because you are at a different stage from those people doesn't mean you necessarily have to leave them behind, you could be the guidance they need, after all you've gone through those experiences and you could advice them when the time is right for them, they'll probably appreciate your help.
There are still many more things that I have discovered but this were the top 6 and the more I grow up the more I learn and begin to realise how important it is to make life work for you and not the other way around. It's a scary world out there but take every day as it comes and you will be on the right path, remember just because someone may be further ahead in life than you it doesn't mean your time won't come. But it is also important to have some sort of plan in life because if you fail to plan you plan to fail.
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