Who Am I?

Finding a new identity after graduating college.

So recently, I have accomplished one of my goals, and that was graduating from college! And while I had “senioritis” since about my freshman year, actually being completely done with my undergrad career is a feeling that I honestly cannot describe. That’s why I’m here to discuss with you all how to prepare for graduation and the life after. Because honestly just as people don’t really tell you what it’s like to be in college, people don’t really tell you what it’s like after you graduate. Whether you’re approaching graduation this semester or in another year or so, I want to leave you with some tips so you can be prepared!

First and foremost, I want to discuss WHY you actually get a new identity after graduating college. Then I will go into why this new identity can be challenging, leading into how to prepare for graduation & tips for living your best life as a new graduate!

Why do you get a new identity?

• It’s OVER lol. Life as you know it as a college student is obviously different now. There is no more campus life and you have now entered into the real adult world with adult issues. Personally for me, I am still able to be involved in some ways because I still live in my college town (until my lease is up). But for many others, you either go back to your home town or relocate and you have to adjust to not being a student anymore (if you’re not pursuing a graduate degree).
• You are now “working 9 to 5 just to stay alive” as Beyoncé would say lol. Hopefully now that you’ve graduated, you are working a new job in your career field. Which means you have a new title whether its manager, director, teacher, and etc. So, your new career is part of your new identity.
• You are getting older. Everybody’s a different age when they graduate, but regardless we’re not getting any younger. Which means it’s time to truly grow up. I was a fresh 21 when I crossed the stage and I often feel so super young, but my degree gave me the sense of “it’s time to really get my life together.”
• Change. Receiving that degree brings different changes and growth. Whether it’s a new job, relocation, or even settling down and getting married. There will be some changes for the betterment of your life.

Why is it challenging?

• You got used to it. You’ve gotten into the routine of being a college student. Lectures, exams, assignments, group presentations, student orgs, sporting events, meal plans, all-nighters, spring break, and parties… this is what you’ve been doing for the past however many years and it’s all you know how to do at the moment. I know when all the students came back for the Spring semester, I was so lost on the first day of classes because I wasn’t used to not having to go to class ha ha!
• You can feel stuck. Whatever you may be doing post-graduation, you may not be doing what you want to do in your life just yet and you feel as though nothing has changed.
• FOMO. You may feel like you are missing out on things. Especially if you moved away from your college town. I am honestly grateful to still be here in my college town to be able to be around my friends who are still in school.
• Finding a job can be JUST AS DIFFICULT as when you didn’t have a degree! Everybody’s experience is going to be different and it definitely depends on the field. But personally for me, I am relocating in a couple months and I have been trying to line up a job and it’s been difficult so far :(. One thing I have noticed is jobs require a certain length of experience but if I just graduated & every job is requiring experience, how can I get a job? LOL This past week I’ve been feeling like, “what did I even go to school for?” but that’s just me being impatient and not relying on God to do his thing!

How do you prepare for graduation?

• Decide what you want to do post-graduation. Whether it’s going to grad school, starting a business, relocating, traveling, getting married, jumping into your career, etc. you want to know what you want to do so you can plan ahead.
• Do your research. If you are considering going to grad school it is important to consider all the factors. Research the programs, request info, visit the campus, communicate with faculty, make sure you meet application requirements, complete all required testing, and line up your references for letters of recommendation. You do NOT want to wait until the last minute to do all this! I personally researched schools, programs, and apartments in the areas during my junior year, then I did a school visit during the summer, and when my application opened up I worked on it up until about two weeks before it was due, so it was a long experience lol. *wish me luck :)*
• Edit your resume as needed. Make sure your resume is fresh and up to date and highlights your skills, leadership, and even relevant coursework that will make you stand out in your career field.
• Have a backup plan. As we all know, we can plan for one thing and life throws us another. So it is very crucial to have something you can fall back on.

So now that we’ve discussed part of the hard part haha , Lets get into some tips for some fun! Discovering this new identity can be challenging but there are some things you can do that will help!

• Find new things to do. I believe it’s very important to keep your mind engaged and keep your creative juices flowing! And it’s great to discovery new things you enjoy doing. A few new things that I now do are, writing this weekly blog lol, design apparel for a mental health awareness line, and make more time to practice self care!
• Spend time with yourself. When everyone got back from winter break thy asked me how did I enjoy break and I said “I learned a lot about myself” haha but honestly I have the free time to be with myself and I discovered SO MUCH! It’s honestly great. I highly suggest spending time with yourself, you need it!
• Spend time with family & friends. Especially if you are relocating like I am, this is a crucial time to spend time with loved ones while you can.
• Prepare for what’s next. Whatever that may be, make sure you plan because time does not slow down!
• Travel. This is such an opportunity in your life to see more of the world! Personally, I graduated in December and I’ve already been on two vacations and have another planned. You only live once so don’t wait to start your life.
• Save money. Like I said before, you are now in the real world with real adult issues. And I personally feel like my check is gone to bills before it barely reaches my account haha. I’m saving to move out the state, but you can be saving for school, wedding, travel, or life in general!

I hope that your graduation brings you joy and peace just as much as mine did! Don’t get me wrong I have my stressful days preparing for what’s next.. but overall, my degree has brought me so much happiness because I know how hard I worked for it! Major shout out to my alumna Bowling Green State University, #TalonsUp. Be back next week folks! *all images from Google*

December 15, 2018: The day I became a college grad, a semester early! B.A in Psychology, Music Industry minor. #FalconForever