By Brittney Cooper - @bee_michele
Surviving Life After College
College can be one of the greatest, most exciting, and most stressful time of your life. It seems
like the years go by so quickly, and yet, graduation can’t come soon enough. But what about life after? What comes next?
In the past two years since graduation, I’ve grown as a person and a professional. And of
course, I learned a few life lessons along the way.
It’s Okay to Not Have it All Figured Out
We all know those people who seem to have it all figured out. They have a job and a place to
live, all lined up for graduation. But for those of us who don’t, it can make us self-conscious, or
even inadequate. It’s important to remember that you can’t compare yourself to others. As Eric
Copage says in the book Black Pearls, “There is no ‘standard time’ for human growth and
achievement.” Stop comparing yourself to others, and work at your own pace. All things come
with time, so even if you don’t have it all figured out now, one day you will.
Don’t Lose Faith… In Yourself, or the Process
When things don’t go our way, we tend to question ourselves. What did I do wrong? What could I have done differently? But let’s be honest, sometimes things just don’t work out the way we think they should. I’m a firm believer that everything works out the way it’s supposed to. Maybe the way you want things to be, isn’t a situation you’re ready for at the moment. We all want to have our dream job right after graduation, but maybe we don’t have the professional experience or the mindset to handle it. If we landed the dream job without the qualifications needed to keep it, we’d be worse off then we were before. It’s great to have the dream job in mind, and goals to aspire to, but you need to figure out the steps needed to get there and pursue them with passion. Don’t take missteps as failures, or as personal inadequacies. Instead, take them for what they are, lessons you needed to get you to where you want to be.
You Can’t Take it All With You
On your journey to being who you want to be, you need people and habits that encourage and further you towards your goals. Friends who discourage you, or don’t believe in your drive or your dreams, have no place in your journey. Self-doubt and procrastination have the power to stop you dead in your tracks. You take in the energy you surround yourself with, so it’s important to cut off toxic relationships and bad habits in order for you to thrive. Surround yourself with people who speak life into you, learn a new skill in your spare time, do positive affirmations, or get more organized. Life is hard enough without carrying around the weight of the world. Let it go.
Work Hard, Play Hard
Almost nothing in life comes easily. We work hard to get the things we want. But our mental
health and physical wellbeing are so much more important. Take the time to take care of
yourself. Do things that make you happy. Eat good food, go out with your friends, watch movies, travel, go on dates; whatever sets your soul on fire. You’re not doing yourself or anyone else any favors by working yourself to death without enjoying everything this world has to offer. After all, what’s the point of all the hard work if you don’t get to enjoy the fruits of your labor? While you’re working to get to where you want to be, don’t forget to appreciate the life you already
have.