Life after college is no longer college life but work life. Boy was I in for a rude awakening when I realized that staying up, cramming for a final, and going to class without any sleep was not the hardest thing in life. Try getting up and going to work for eight hours at a job you just started (so you aren't that good at it), getting home at anywhere between 6 and 8, depending on your commute, and having only 4 or 5 hours to live a life before doing it all over again the next day.
And staying up late to enjoy life, and missing out on sleep? Forget about it. Being caught falling asleep in your cubicle has way more repercussions than being caught falling asleep in class.
As a twenty something, you may still have the emotions and maturity level of an 18 year old. This is because you went to college when you were 18 and hung out with a bunch of kids for 4 years. Your only role models were old professors you probably wanted to be absolutely nothing like. So you get out of school and you're twenty-two with smile lines, and your mind is still saying, " So now I have to start cooking? Why can't I just go down to the local all night cafeteria?"
Now, you can't pay for things with the extra money you have left over from your student loans. If you are still in college, enjoy this privilege while you can, but make no mistake, this kind of extra money has to be worked for when you get out. You may have a nice lady in the financial aid office that doesn't mind finding you some extra money when you need it, but when you get out, don't expect many hand outs.
Debt gets deeper and deeper if you don't get a real plan together. A lot of colleges do not require students to take classes on finance, but most college students graduate with a hefty sum of student loan debt. You have to realize that paying the minimums just eats away at your money. Only with a written plan that is followed, will you be able to dig your way out so you can still have a fun life going shopping on the weekends.
You have to fight to have a life that's meaningful, yet enjoyable. Everyday in everyway, you have to make a real effort to do what you won't regret in the future. Do you really think going out to bars every night at the age of 25 is going to get you anywhere? Sure it's fun, but is it meaningful? Consider volunteering somewhere or writing a book. Do something you won't look back on and say, "Well I was young. I guess that was a good reason.
Published by clarissa
Clarissa's been writing for over 10 years in several different sectors including her college newspapers, local magazines, and online media. View profile
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