Hmmm, I Didn't Think About That!

Do you remember when you were nearing the end of your high school days and your parents, teachers and school counselors were trying to prepare you for college? Maybe you had a conversation with your parents about finances and ensuring you stick to a budget. And maybe your teachers were emphasizing the need for you to get exceptional grades to ensure that you have plenty of options when you started to apply for post-secondary institutions. And maybe your school counselor coached you on what it meant to leave high school, and tried to provide you with tips to help navigate your way through the next four years. But during this time, we're young and impressionable and still need a great deal of guidance.

In the latter part of our college years, we've grown into responsible young adults, capable of running our own lives. We will often seek out guidance to determine our career path, and try to find coping mechanisms that will allow us to go out into the big bad world. But sometimes, but in life, there are issues that pop up, that we're not quite prepared for! Here are a few things to consider when you start making your own way in the world.

1) Dealing with the Debt Monster! Almost every college student in America is racked with debt that feels insurmountable. It really isn't. When the time comes to repay sit down with the "community" (the family) and work out a long term and short term repayment plan so there are no surprises and you can have realistic expectations. You think your budget was tight in college? Just wait until you have to start paying grown up bills like rent, utilities, medical costs, groceries etc. Debt effects you both financially and emotionally, and it's important to take care of your state of mind as much as your fragile bank account!

2) Friends Don't Come Easy. When I finished my first degree, I was completely caught off guard by how difficult it was to meet new people. In college, for a significant amount of time, you are surrounded by people who are close to you in age and share many of the same interests. There are any number of clubs and organizations on campus that you can become a part of, but when you graduate, that safety net is no longer there. And just like high school, you will most likely lose contact with many of your college friends as they move on with their careers. In the big bad world, it's not a popularity contest. It's going to take some serious effort to meet quality individuals that are going to contribute something good to your life.

3) A New Wardrobe, New Grown-up Life! College, like high school, may have been a bit of a fashion show, but opportunity won't come knocking just because you look cute in your new oxfords. When you start hunting for that dream job, you are going to need a grown up wardrobe. First impressions are absolutely everything, and what you wore in class to impress your colleagues may not be acceptable in an interview setting.