Things You Didn't Learn In College (But Should Know)

When I left college, I thought I was ready for the blank slate ahead of me.

I thought I knew everything there was to know about life.

I thought that because of what I had learned in college, I would be able to handle any situation thrown at me—whether it was an interview or a new job, or a relationship.

But now, as we speak, I realize how wrong I was. College didn't prepare me for those things. And while they taught me some incredibly important lessons that will last a lifetime, there are still many things out there that are waiting for me to learn—and learn them quickly. That's why I created What College Didn’t Teach Me.

There is so much you should know coming out of school, there should be a book about it (see what I did there?)! Here are a few key things to know after graduating college.

There is a mourning period

It is surprising to think but yes, there is a point where you do mourn your past life. Think about it. For four years, you lived a totally crazy life that can only be experienced during those four years. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to replicate your time in college again. This is something that is special and memorable and when you first leave college, you will miss it at times. You will miss the constant friends that are there to support you and talk to you no matter the time of day. You will miss the late night fried chicken runs or the basement parties that felt like you were suffocating, but for some reason seemed so fun. These memories are meant to be happy thoughts, and even though you will miss this time in your life, hold it close to your heart and recognize that you lived those years to the fullest, and now you can focus on the next chapter of life.

Short-term pleasures are affecting long-term goals

Life goals. What a loaded statement. You will have so many life goals during your post-grad years. The world is your oyster and you’re able to do many things that you were not able to do before. Long-term goals take time and patience. For example, let’s say your goal is to buy a house. In this economy, you must save quite a bit of money to buy a house on your own. For GenZ it is getting harder and harder to be able to accomplish this but people still can. If you determine you have to save $40,000 to purchase your first home, you will have to make a plan on saving that money. The short-term pleasures that could get in your way of this goal are going out for drinks and food consistently. At the time they sound good and it’s fine, but it does not help your long-term goal of saving money. Also, any impulsive buys can infringe on your future home purchase. steps towards goals. Do not have to be extremely strict unless you want them to be, but there should be a good amount of discipline in accomplishing these goals. If you want to succeed, no matter what it is, you’ll have to hold yourself accountable for the steps in place to get to the final destination.

Part of maturing is realizing that your goals beat those short-term pleasures and you will thank yourself in the future for not giving in to the Temptations that once stood before you.

Everyone is on a different page

Social media has created a very comparison society. We see our friends and distant acquaintances, getting married, having kids, traveling the world, and getting that next big promotion. It is easy to scroll through all of your feeds and wish your life looked like someone else's. What I have learned in the post-grad world is that life through pictures is not always reality. Some people that seem happy and satisfied with their life, might be the unhappiest, but will never show it to the public. Even though people are moving right along with their lives, does not mean that you are stuck in yours.

Every person has a path, which involves many twists and turns. Your life is meant to go the way that it is going. If you don’t like something about it, take the steps to change it. Know that only you can be on your journey and no one can interfere with that. Right now, you are living the days you used to dream of. Cherish this time that you have, and make the life you truly want. Do not waste your energy, time, and thoughts on comparing yourself to other people. You are who you are and that is special. Make decisions that will shift your life for the better, and know that your path is the right path no matter what.

Focus on self-improvement

As time goes on, we start to see parts of ourselves that we might not necessarily love. Invest in yourself. Choose to do activities that enhance some part of your life. This could be a course or certification, so that you can get better at your job, practicing meditation to slow your mind at night before bed, instead of watching TV, or enhance communication with friends and family to try and grow a closer bond with them. All of these activities, and anything else you can think of are great ways to improve who you are to become a better person each and every day. The day you decide to wake up for yourself and do one thing to improve your life is the day that you truly begin investing in your gross and your future. There's so much that you can do to improve yourself, and some of it might not be evident until later on. You will never regret giving yourself that amount of time and energy. It takes to become a great person. Do what you need to do to get to the right place, mentally, physically, career, world, and your world. Believe that every ounce of energy put into yourself will come out with a better result later on.

With these tips and so much more in What College Didn’t Teach Me, you will be ready to handle your post-grad years!