Finding Your Post Grad “Thing”

Outfit Details: Black Top // Jogger Pants // Louboutin Heels // Sunglasses // Computer Bag // Marc Jacobs Watch

For some of you, it has been two months since graduating from college and if you were anything like I was, right around this time after graduating, reality started quickly sinking in very quickly. 

Because basically, post-grad was way harder than I thought it ever would be. 

I feel like this reality is something college doesn’t prepare you for. At least not for me anyways. Yeah, they told us how no one will be holding our hands in the real world. That real work is hard and in any job, we will most likely be starting out as the low man on the totem pole. But they didn’t prepare me emotionally for post grad-life. They didn’t tell me how hard it would be to move out of my college home, where I had made so many great and unforgettable memories. They didn’t tell me how hard it would be to move to a city, where I didn’t live across the street from all of my friends. That not having spring nor summer break really is, kind of the worst, and that 401k’s are confusing as hell. They didn’t mention how hard it would be to meet new friends after college, nor that when you get your first paycheck, you’ll be mortified as to exactly how much is taken out of it from taxes. Oh, and lets add in the fact that you’ll most likely gain weight because you’re not used to sitting at a desk all day long. Your life as you once knew it, is over. When that initial reality hits, it’s the worst. Don’t worry though & keep reading, this is a happy post, I promise!

Some of you may not relate to this at all. Maybe you graduated and everything was super awesome for you. If that was the case, then I applaud you because you are way more mature than I was. 

I remember crying all the time the first or two month after graduating. Most of my friends were still in school (including Colton) or living in other cities and I felt alone. 

At the same time though, I knew that this post grad life, was my new reality. That I had graduated, and it was time to get out of my funk. It was time for me to tell myself and it’s time for you to tell yourself that you are working, that you are an adult, that this is your new life and it’s your responsibility to make it as great as ever. 

My suggestion to you, is to go out and meet people. Literally throw yourself in situations where you have to talk to people. Yeah, you’ll feel creepy asking for a girls number, when in reality, all you want is a friend. But I promise you, that girl, is probably in the exact same boat that you are, dying for new friends. If you were in a sorority, every major city has an alumni group where they do happy hours, so join it. Join a charitable organization, I joined Dress for Success Houston, and they have such fun events! Join a kickball team.We LOVE our kickball team and have made so many new and great friends through it.  If you do not know anyone on one, make your own. Invite one person to join a team, tell them to invite one person, then so on and so on. It’s called networking -lol.  

Pick a workout you love and get involved. For example, I love spin and that has become my thing. I remember right after my big graduated, she got really into cross-fit and loved it.  Start a blog, start a jewelry line, start something, find what makes you tick. Do you like photography? Do you like to run?  Are you passionate about animals? What is something that you want to do to better yourself and make you feel complete? Whatever it is, reach for it now. 

I am saying all of this, because I want you to understand that just because you are now working full time, does not mean your life has to end. Your life does not have to revolve around that job and just because your college friends are not in the same city as you doesn’t mean you can’t make new ones. 

I told you all in this post that college was not the best years of your lives and I still stand by that. Yeah, at this moment you make think they were, but literally think about everything you have yet to experience or accomplish in your life. You literally haven’t experienced even half of what life has to give you. That’s freaking incredible. 

So today, I encourage you to do something to get involved and better yourself. To start enjoying post grad life (if you aren’t already!!), because it really is awesome, you just have to adjust to it, like everything else in life. Just know, that you are not a lone, thousands of kids feel the exact same way you do right now. It’s okay to be sad and to miss college, that’s very normal. I miss it so much to this day, but I have also adjusted to my new life, and I’m pretty darn happy with it. Just know, this feeling won’t last forever, and you will, in time, adjust to your post grad life too. 

xo,

Lauren