1. It's okay to move in with your parents.
I lived with Josh during college, and he studied abroad in South Korea the summer after graduation. This situation sort of forced me to move in with my parents for the summer, but it ended up extending from June through Christmas. I love my parents more than anything, and living there is so amazing and fun, but I just didn't visualize that for myself after college. I think that moving back into your parents has this stigma that means you're a failure, but that is totally false. It allowed me to look at my job and housing options and have a stable place to live while I figured that out. I'm so thankful my parents opened up their house for me to come back to while I figured out my next steps.
2. You won't keep in touch with all of your college friends.
This isn't going to be true for everyone, but for me it is true. I had a lot of college friends that simply just went total opposite directions (literally) from me, and it just becomes really hard to keep in touch. Thankfully there is social media and technology to help keep up with their lives, but not enough to keep those deepened friendships. I wouldn't say I lost complete friendships, but there are a few that I simply just can't keep up with as much due to multiple circumstances.
3. It's okay to not be exactly where you pictured yourself.
This one was really hard for me to accept. I had a really difficult time finding a job in my field, that would allow me to use my degree. I actually never ended up finding one, and ended up jumping right back into graduate school (we will get into that later). I think that people expect you to graduate and immediately find a job in your field, but this simply isn't always the case. If that is how it works out for you, that is amazing and you are very blessed. It is okay to get a job that isn't in your field to get you by for a while. That was the hardest thing for me to accept after graduation, but once I found a purpose (Graduate School) it got way better.
4. Travel... As much as you can.
This is a very cliche thing I learned, but it is very true. This doesn't have to mean you take a trip outside the country every year, it could simply mean going to a concert with some friends, or taking a quick weekend trip. I was thankful enough to travel in September after graduating and it was an amazing experience. I hope that I can travel for the rest of my life even after I'm married with children, but I wanted to embrace the period in my life where nothing is holding me down. I'm traveling again in August, I think once a year is a good pace ;)
5. Explore your career options
So you have a degree in Elementary Education, does this mean that you HAVE to find a job in the teaching field? NO! Obviously, the goal is to use your degree and make all of that $$$ worth it, but that simply isn't the case for everyone. Explore your options, because there are probably ways that you can use your degree that you haven't even thought of. I would use the first few months out of college to really explore your options and maybe do a few job shadows and interviews to test the waters. I think it is important not to be close minded on your career options or else you might be unemployed for a long time.
6. Explore your continuing education options.
This one can tag along the previous item that I wrote. While you are looking at your career options, it is important to note if any careers need additional schooling such as a Masters program or a Doctorate program. For me, I graduated with my Bachelors in Psychology and I knew that I wanted to be a School Counselor. School Counseling is a career that legally requires a masters degree, so I knew that was in my future but I envisioned taking a year off (which would put me at today). I looked into programs, applied to ONE school and said "If I get it, then I'll go and this will be my sign, but if I don't then I will take a year off". Well, I got in, and I'm so thankful. I love my program so much and I am already halfway through! Explore, and step outside your comfort zone. It is important to recognize the cost and time dedication of continuing education, so just be sure that is what you want to do.
7. Focus on your finances sooner rather than later.
Right after college would have been a wonderful time to implement a budget, and work on my finances (learning that now...). Thankfully, since I'm in graduate school I don't have to pay on my undergraduate loans until I'm done with schooling completely, but it is important to understand your loans. It is important to understand what you owe, how you pay, and consequences of not paying. I would recommend talking to someone in the Financial Aid or Student Loan office at your school before moving back home. Making sure that all of your ducks are in a row would be really important.
8. Realize that it is okay to have no idea what is next.
This was a hard one for me also. It is TOTALLY okay if you don't know what is happening. It is totally okay if you are confused, disappointed, or lost. That is normal. Do all graduates feel this way? No. Do some? Yes. I would recommend taking action always, and not letting yourself get into a rut of disappointment and confusion. Take risks, and explore. Try new things, and if they don't work out that is okay!
9. Be thankful.
So if you can't tell by this post, my life turned out a little differently than I pictured. I am currently working somewhere that has nothing to do with my degree, but I am also working toward my Masters Degree, which is so important to me. If you are lucky and blessed enough to find a great job in your field, be thankful. I think after graduation is a great time to focus on the things you have and really embrace your life. You are officially "out in the real world" and there are not really many more excuses you can use. Count your blessings, and take each day on with a smile and a positive attitude. Embrace the confusion, and accept the successes.
10. Don't Compare your Situation
This one is hard because it is natural to compare our lives with overs lives. It is only normal that if 10 people graduate with the same degree, not all 10 individuals will find a job within their degree. If you spend all of your time comparing your situation and outcome with others outcomes it will result in you feeling bad about yourself, or over confident. The year after graduation is a huge transition period, probably my biggest one and I am still, one year later, figuring it all out.
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