Life hits you hard after graduation. You’re being taught a whole new lesson and it’s called life. Once college comes and go, you realize that all these responsibilities plus a job are being piled on you. So it’s all fun and games until you realize all the changes that are going to happen. Not that adulthood is scary because it’s not. There’s a plus to college ending and it’s the fact that there’s no more classes and no more tests or papers, it’s nice. I’m one year post grad and it’s honestly weird to even think that I was in college a year ago — it seems way longer! Nonetheless even with responsibilities I want to have fun and I want to do so much from traveling to hosting fun dinner parties with my friends. There’s so much out there to do that it makes adulthood less scary. Life is full of adventures and that’s the one perk of being an adult and in charge of your world.
What are all the things that you want to do in the world? For myself, I want to travel out of the country and furnish my apartment in either white or grey furniture plus be a dog foster mom. Obviously there is so much more that I want to do in the world but I could go on and on about them. While I think of all the possibilities and things I can do, I also consider my grown-up responsibilities. Yeah they might suck but you can say you’re independent and you do this on you own. That’s what I like to say while singing Beyonce’s Grown Woman — I do whatever I want.
Family
Make time for your family/parents and make that time count ✓
Catch up with them weekly whether it’s through email, text or a phone call ✓
Invite your family/parents to come out and visit ✓
Tell them about how much you appreciate them ✓
Take care of your pets✓
After graduation, you’re like the baby bird that has to fly off from the nest all over again — it’s like leaving your parents again but this time you have to do your own laundry and cook your own meals instead of eat off the meal plan. Your family is important and you began to see your parents as real people now instead of the two people that were there to shelter and bring you up. You began to see things through your parents’ eyes when it comes to finances and taking care of your responsibilities. You never got it when your parents talked about how hard they worked until now, now that you’re in that place.
Always talk to your family whether it’s by blood or by friendship. Your siblings become your allies as you grow up — the pointless fights stop with each other as you began to debate with your parents on a double team strategy (; There’s no one else that has known you most of your life besides your family. Be each other’s reminders and inform each other of important events and discuss what to go half and half on a gift. You’re out of the house and now you’re on a home for the holidays schedule as an adult. It’s different but you have to plan for the grown up things and find time for your family. If you move hoe after college, cherish that quality time. Just make sure to set ground rules so you don’t scare your parents like when to expect you home and how you can help out around the house. Take care of your pets, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without Rocko and I make sure he has everything he needs. That’s my baby.
Friends
Friend dates ✓
Defriending on everything ✓
Let friends change ✓
Creating friendship rituals ✓
As crazy as it might sound, friends come and go. The friends that have stayed in my life are friends from junior high. After college, we all go our own way whether it’s to a different part of the state or to a completely different state/country. What we have to do is make time for the those people whether it’s a quick text with a old picture, something that’ll keep us in contact. Your friend line-up will also change over time as you make friends within your career and in common interest groups. As crazy as it may sound, you can divide your friends into two different groups: the A-List also known as the friends that remember important events and wish you good luck of the smallest things while keeping up with your life. The B-List friends are friends that drift in and out of your life and don’t really nurture the relationship the two of you have.
Not only are you catering to friends you already have but how does one make new friends? I ask myself this every day. Bumble BFF is helpful but that’s kinda scary, no lie. Luckily for you, you could meet new people at work, networking events, clubs, friend-to-friend network, or volunteer work. But what about the friends that you don’t want in your life anymore? That sounds harsh but if someone is too toxic for you, you need to let them go or talk to them about it. It’s all a part of growing whether it’s growing up with your friends or growing apart from friends.
Career
Manage your reputation ✓
Networking ✓
Keep a record of accomplishments ✓
Volunteer to help on projects ✓
What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s a constant question that has been asked or shaped in different forms to us as we are going through college and growing up. Now you have that degree and it’s a big big world out there. You’re making money and doing what you want to do in life, hopefully. If not, there’s so much time to find that right thing and show everyone how good you are at it. Get a mentor and seek out people that you respect to model your career around. You can never stop climbing when it comes to your career.
Your career is something that you have to do for the rest of your life so make sure you are going down the right path. Go hard at everything and praise yourself if no one else is praising you. You got this! Your career is going to be great and if no one believes in you, I believe in you because it’s nice to have someone out there rooting for you.
Finance
Create a budget & stick to it ✓
Check your credit repot & credit score ✓
Paying off your student loans — consolidation or deferment, payment plan ✓
Open a retirement account (look into Personal Capital’s Wealth Management Tool) ✓
Be responsible with your money — create a savings account ✓
Money, money, money. There are so many tasks that fall into line with our money. For instance, I’m pretty sure a lot of us aren’t looking to plan for retirement and want to live in the now — as much fun as that may sound, planning for the future should still be there in your mind. You want to be able to retire one day. Now that you’re on your own and living your life, you should probably create a budget. Why? Because living beyond your means should never be something that you do. Budget your living expense and include utilities, add in your student loan payments and/or car payments.
Be smart when you sign up for a credit card and don’t hit that limit — trust me, I’ve been there and I’ve done that but I’ve made my payments, thank goodness. With my own budget, I’m budgeting my rent + utilities, car payment, student loan payments and my Rocko’s needs. I want to own a house one day, possibly next year so my dog has a backyard to run around in so that’s something I’m always keeping up with. Not only that but create an emergency fund so you can always be prepared. Keep an eye on your credit, it’s important when it comes to getting a credit card and bank loans — there’s also the hardship of getting approved for things like apartments and things that involve a credit check. Maybe even invest in stock and bonds when you get a chance, my dad always suggests it to me and I have yet to do so but it’s something I’m going to understand. And remember to file your taxes!
Dating
Communicate ✓
Walk of shame is just a walk, no shame ✓
Give each other space ✓
Go on dates ✓
Dating is such a fun thing – there’s being exclusive and being in-exclusive, talking and just having fun. It’s crazy how much romance has dwindled down and chick flicks are the want but not reality. Don’t get down on love — get out there and have fun. If you’re single, you aren’t tied down to any obligations and can do what you want. If you’re in a relationship, enjoy your person. Go on adventures with your significant other and put together little surprises. You have to fight productively, don’t say things that you’ll regret and remember if you don’t want to deal with something, you can easily walk away or that person can. If you’re in a long distance relationship, make that work and keep up with your person. If you aren’t ready for a relationship, do your thing… I’m not nor ever judging!
Travel
Travel with friends ✓
Go somewhere random ✓
Travel on your own ✓
I just spoke about traveling but this is something that everyone should do. Step on new soil and take in the new culture. I plan to travel as much as I can and sometimes I wish my career involved traveling and going new places. Travel with you friends because you’ll have those memories forever and there’s going to be a friend by your side to keep an eye on you. Travel somewhere on your own. As scary as an adventure on your own may sound, it might be the experience you need in life. There’s so much to take in when it’s just you and you notice things differently when you’re by yourself to figure everything else. One regret I have from college is not studying abroad, I wish I hadn’t kept myself in that box and went across the sea. Somewhere random might just be a great plan as well — just close your eyes and point a place out on a map or figure out the dates you want to travel and see where the cheaper flights are going. Travel and make an adventure for yourself!
Obviously more can be added to the list but this is MY list and I challenge everyone else to make their own list. We’re only young once — YOLO! Make a list of things you plan to do rather than a list of things you want to do. Give yourself goals for all of these plans and watch them come to life. That’s how I’m getting things accomplished and challenging myself with doing the things I’ve been planning. Get out there and explore the world but keep an eye on the future and what it will bring you.
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