As the alarm buzzes so begins the debate. The debate whether or not getting up and getting ready for class is really worth it. As you weigh your options you debate over the following: (a) You can skip class and get the notes from someone else or (b) go because your class grade depends on it. While the responsible choice is to go to class, not everyone is responsible.

For many recent college graduates, it appears that nothing has changed. You still want to sleep in and you don’t want to get up yet. The big difference is that if you decide to sleep in and ‘skip’ class you can’t just make up what you missed by getting the notes from a fellow classmate. Instead you are missing out on your future. While it is easy for many of us to just hit the snooze button, and sleep for what seems like an amazing 5 minutes, too often do recent college graduates carry over this mentality into life after college.

It what can be described as a sort of college hangover, what many fail to realize is that time waits for no one, and the sooner you can ‘sober’ up, the better. Reminiscing about all the good times you had during college is great, but it is even more important to look toward the future.

The “Real World”

College teaches you how to derive answers from complicated formulas, how to write a research paper, and how to cram before a test. The problem is, that the ‘real world’ is so different from life during college that it’s almost like a cultural shock when someone graduates from college. One of the biggest changes that recent college graduates face is having to make ‘grown-up’ decisions. From deciding what type of health insurance you need to figuring out the difference between a 401K and a Roth IRA, these sort of decisions are just the start. While many of us would love to have a ‘trial period’ similar to a membership at a club, their is no such thing.

In order to be prepared for what’s ahead it is important to start early. By early, I mean looking for a job when you are still in school. Once you leave school, things become twice as hard. You don’t have counselors and career centers to help you, you only have yourself. If you still don’t know what you want to do by the time you leave school that doesn’t mean you should take a vacation. There will be plenty of time for that later. Instead, find an internship or take extra classes that may interest you. Just because you don’t have a job doesn’t mean you can’t build toward your future.

Want Versus Need

You want a job that pays you $70,000 a year + benefits, but you need experience. You want to start off as a manager, but you need management skills. These sorts of conflicts are the kinds that keep recent college graduates in a ‘hangover.’ Being realistic is just as important as being optimistic. Especially in the tough economic times that we are in, being able to understand your wants versus your needs is important. College graduates need to understand that although they may have the skills, the jobs may just not be out there. With students graduating faster than new job openings, it’s simple math. With that said, it is to a graduates advantage to play the numbers game as well and apply to as many jobs as possible.

The person that wants to make 6 figures a year needs to realize that his needs may be different. Waiting around for that 6 figure job to come his way may cause him to miss out on other opportunities. Not only will he be missing out, but that 6 figure job may never even happen.

3 Keys To “Sobriety”

1. Plan Ahead

The best way to prevent the college “hangover” is to try and prevent it all together. By planning ahead and having an idea of what you want to do once you graduate is the best approach. Begin by attending career fairs and trying to find some internships for over the summer.

2. Understand The Value Of Time

There are 168 hours in a week. If you sleep for 6 hours a day that still leaves you 126 hours. Being able to manage your time and maximize the amount of work you do, will help to keep you focused and productive.

3. Understand Your Situation

After all the graduation parties are over and the last bits of confetti are picked up off the floor this is where you need to be able to grasp the whole situation.  Out of the three this could be the most important because even though you follow 1 and 2, if you don’t understand why you are doing it and what your situation is, you are essentially just going through the motions without any meaning to it.

Always remember,

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. — Ferris Bueller

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Photo by Big Garlic Bullet

It took four years of sleepless nights, countless energy drinks, ridiculous pranks, ‘psychological warfare’ with the girlfriend, and hours of studying for me to realize how much my college had become my second home. Speaking to many of my friends who have graduated, they tell me how much they miss school and how they wish they could go back. Sometimes I think, “really?” Were these not the same people who the first day of school said they wanted to go back home. Now I hear how they want to get away from there “real” home.

For some of us, life after college means moving back home and going back to a house of rules and structure. No longer are you able to stay up as late as you want blasting your music. And no longer is leaving your dishes in the sink for weeks on end an option (yes, it happens).

I have been blessed to have been able to attend a UC school and have been able to experience the quality education that they offer. The UC system is unique in that it gives prospective college students in California a chance to go to a four year university and receive a top tier education without having to go to far. From UCLA to UC Berkeley, they have campuses all over the state for all types of students. If you are considering attending a UC, I would strongly suggest visiting the campuses to make sure you know which one would suit you best, because you have to remember, it will be your ‘second home.’

With my ‘second home’s’ lease ending soon, I wish to offer some advice to soon to be graduates as well as those who are still in college.

1. Enjoy it

Plain and simple. As the saying goes, “You only live once.” Applying that concept, you will only be an undergraduate once in your life. Whether it’s re-inventing your image or building life long relationships, enjoy this time of your life.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Say “Hi”

All of us have seen the freshmen who go up to other classmates and introduce themselves and try to be sociable. Some people laugh at them and some find them awkward. What other people think in the end is irrelevant. Unless you plan to work with them for the next 10 years of your life, they can be one of two things in your life: Significant or Nothing. Why let fear of what other people think stop you from meeting someone significant or meaningful?

3. Relationships and Balance

Everyone hears about the one night stands that happens in college. While this does occur, finding someone that means something more to you than just a physical attraction is a part of the college life many college students find. The key to this is to find a ‘happy medium’ where you are able to balance both your love life and school work. Remember, no one wants to date a bum.

4. Be Active

For most of us, college will mean being in the best physical shape of our life. From the weight rooms, tennis courts, a numerous treadmills, it is hard to say you can’t find a place to be active. Go out there and be active, because when your are out of college, staying in shape and finding ways to be active is harder and might even cost your wallet more.

5. Plan Ahead

College teaches us that time management is important. It is also important to look at the big picture and plan ahead. Use all the available resources to make sure that you are not only prepared for your classes, but life after college.

It may be too late to do everything I’ve wanted to do while at college, but it is not too late for others. Hopefully someone will read this and go out and say “hi” to someone or find someone meaningful in there life. If not, I can say that I have found someone meaningful in my life and that I no longer laugh or question when people introduce themselves to strangers because I know that this is college. Anyone can be anything.

Gone are the days of dressing up as cowboy, and in are the days of looking through hundreds of job listings.

Gone are the days of when we would play cops and robbers, and in are the days of trying to figure out how we will pay off those enormous college loans.

When we first embarked on the adventure known as’college’ we were gullible, curious, and imature, but after four years we have transformed. As ‘adults’ we are now inquisitive, assertive, and most of all aware. Aware that this could be the most crucial time of our lives. Our parents, our professors, and our college experience for the most part, has given us the tools to go out into society and contribute and be sucessful. Still one thing has not changed. Fear.

Fear is a invisible foe that exists all around us. Especially in today’s current economic and global situation, we are pressed to confront this ‘fear.’

For the individual that is fearful of what the future may hold I will cite a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt:

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do“

We live in a historic time. How will we remember it? Will we remember how we stood there fearful of what economic crisis would happen next? Or will we stare ‘fear’ in the eyes and find a way to fight it

As individuals, we have the knowledge, the dedication, and the perservernece to suceed. We must not let ‘fear’ hold us down. Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live. Therefore I tell you.

Go. Live without fear.