10 Things to Question about Your Life after Undergrad

Questionable phases of life after gradation. We all go through them and we all survive them….well most of us do. Here are 10 things to question:

1. Receiving a job offer

Because of all the talk about the difficulty of getting a job, if you do receive an offer, it becomes very suspicious. Wait, I only applied to 20 jobs and actually got one? Whereas, you hear horror stories of people applying to 40 jobs and getting one interview and no job. It is a paid position, right? Not an internship? Always be on high alert when something happens too easily in the working-world. Unless you got hired at McDonald’s, then just nod and accept it.

2.  Old friends

Some of your old friends act like they have too much of their shiznit together. Those are the ones you need to watch out for. No one has that much of their life pieced together yet. And with the politics starting to erupt already for 2016, some of your friends’ true colors are coming out over Facebook…question their reasoning. Block.

3.  Your relationship status

If you feel like Christ Traeger, you are probably questioning yourself, too. Leaving undergrad means leaving all of your friends, and who knows when you will all be together in one spot again?

4. All the work you did in undergrad

All that stuff you had to memorize for exams was beyond pointless. It was actually wasteful. Wasted the space in your brain, wasted your time, wasted thousands of note cards. Question why you tried so hard do to do well in those useless courses. And then be ready to get mad.

5. Your ability to keep it all together

If you can fake it enough to act like you have it all together, you deserve an award. If you think you have your life all put together nicely, you need to question yourself. Don’t lie to us, you rub your face into a pillow every night before bed like our trusty, relate-able buddy, Nick Miller.

6. Your career choice

Think you know what you want to do after you graduate? Guess again. Chances are you will question yourself with every job application or every grad school assignment. If all else fails, become a wizard; it’s as close as you will be to a real job after you graduate anyway.

7.  Your ability to stay professional at all times

Think you will act like a mature adult now that you have a diploma? Chances are you will become very sarcastic very quickly. Professionalism is boring anyway, so question those who act like it all the time. Plus, you’re still a child in the eyes of many.

8. Your so-called undergrad accomplishments

Think being secretary in an undergrad club will get you far in the job market? Think that one intramural team you were on will help? It won’t. And the lack of actual “accomplishments” on your resume will only make you feel worse. I hate that part of a resume anyway. Can watching Netflix be on there?

9. Your interview capabilities

Maybe give yourself a practice round or two before that job interview. And if you don’t, question why you aren’t. No one is actually prepared for an interview. That’s the joke of the year. It’s also something they didn’t teach you in undergrad, so question your college/university on that one.

10.  Your ability to flirt

If you think you’re still in ‘the game’, you’re probably wrong. Question why it hasn’t worked out for you so far.

xOx

So you’ve graduated.

Congrats. After a party that lasted four years straight (and that thing people call “school”), the commencement ceremony is supposed to be the grand finale. As much as that may be a little true, the day after consists of a serious hangover…and not the type from alcohol-induced graduation celebrations.

It’s the day after where you realize you are no longer a student at that college and you are now expected to have your life figured out. No more using the gym for free, no more walking on campus saying “yeah I go here!” and no more getting away with procrastinating. Even if you were a good student (like me, since I am a perfectionist), everything goes downhill after graduation day. Like you haven’t heard that question “So what are you doing next year?!” enough, but now it is “So what are you going to do now?” Notice that exclamation mark was dropped? That’s not by accident. People ask the question now with a dry tone expecting a legitimate answer. Have you got a legitimate answer?

I don’t.

Although people say it’s okay that you don’t know, it’s not. See in college, especially senior year, you could get away with procrastinating and making up answers to questions about the future. However, the time has come to really piece together parts of your life. My opinion? Charts. Pros and cons of getting a job or continuing your education. Would you benefit from furthering your education? Does your field require it? Would you be able to make it through more years of studying? Can you find a decent job that will help your future?

Both options involve major financial considerations. Some people had this in undergrad: taking out loans, working one or more jobs, paying all of your own bills. But even these people are in for a tough time. People expect more out of you now. No one is sympathetic to you anymore compared to when you were a ‘struggling student trying to get a good education.’ Now it’s more of a welcome to the adult life of many people in this world, you’re one of us now. This doesn’t come with a welcome party, though. So don’t bring your party shakers and champagne. (Also, you can’t waste money on those things now! You’re an adult!) It is a tough but serious consideration, so don’t make the decision lightly. But don’t let it get you bogged down either. This really is a new chapter in life that you should be excited and happy about. You made it through college, which means you are good at faking it enough to make it through the whole “career” thing.

So in summation, good luck. Although don’t take all the luck because I need some, too, you know. And you thought this would be easy, you silly graduates.

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