By Sola Onitiri 

You never thought this day would come but alas, it is finally time for you to turn the tassel and walk out onto the great unknown that is adulthood. As a person who was in your shoes two years ago (Literally where has the time gone?), I feel like it’s my noble duty and honor to pass some knowledge on to you, soon to be graduate. Because despite popular belief, post-grad life can actually be very sweet and I’m going to teach you how to do it. 

TAKE THE TIME TO DECOMPRESS

College is no joke. Between class, assignments, midterms, finals, and extracurricular activities, chances are, you’ve been running on high sodium snacks and caffeine for the last four years. The first thing you should do, lifestyle permitting, is take an honest to god break, holiday, or staycation. You quite literally have the rest of your life to work, so why not take this time to reflect on a job well done and catch up on some much needed and much deserved ‘z’s. Studies show that a lack of sleep and a balanced diet leads to a weaker immune system which leads to more infections and illnesses. So before you jump briefcase first into the workforce, sleep, eat, and relax. That R&R will be good for your body and mind.

MAKE A ROUTINE NOT A PLAN

There’s nothing wrong with making a five-year plan, however, don’t feel like you need to make one in order to succeed. Instead of mapping out your five-year plans for world domination, focus on creating a well-rounded routine. And I’m talking about a routine that includes both work and play. For example, If you enjoy cooking, working out, and are searching for your dream job then set a daily schedule that includes those three things. Then cater that schedule to your preferred times of the day. If you’re not a morning person, don’t schedule apply for jobs early in the morning, because chances are, you’re never going to get to it. You don’t need to have it all figured out. It’s all about taking it one day at a time, and with a personalized schedule, you’ll be one step close to doing that.

Be Realistic

You are entering a completely new part of your life so this should go without saying: You’re going to run into some difficulties. And by some, I mean a whole lot. Sadly, there’s no better way to sugar coat it; Adulthood is difficult stuff. So don’t expect to have it all together a month after your throw your cap in the air. Change should and will take time, so don’t try and rush yourself. Take time to figure out what you want, where you want to do it, and how you plan on doing it. But don’t expect to happen instantly. No matter what Inc. articles say about millennials who are making millions of dollars or a viral video says about young couples traveling the world, Be realistic about your wants and your goals, and no one else's.  

DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF

Like I mentioned above, being an adult is hard work. For the first time in many of our lives, we need to balance an incredible number of moving parts. Rent, bills, loans, jobs, relationships, the list goes on and on. Being able to handle even a quarter of all of those things is super difficult to do. So don’t get down on yourself for where ever in life you currently stand. Not having a job waiting for you after graduation doesn’t make you a failure - The job market is incredibly difficult to break into no matter where you are in life. Moving back home after graduation does not make you a failure - Paying rent is actually the worst, especially when you live in a major city. Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel like you are a failure. Because the only time you fail is when you believe that you have.

#OHLALA