By GT Nguyen<\/p>\n
A BU Senior\u2019s Guide on How to Navigate Post-Grad Life<\/span><\/p>\n Somewhere between enrolling for classes and walking on campus, it hit me that college is ending. No more living within a block radius of my friends or trying to find the free version of a textbook online. After graduation, it\u2019s just real life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Even though I knew it was coming, and you could even say I saw it coming, nothing could ever prepare me for this. I feel anxiety, fear, excitement, and they all come in waves. One moment, I\u2019ll believe that I can do it, and next thing you know, I\u2019m on the verge of tears thinking about it. It\u2019s change, and change is scary, but here\u2019s what I\u2019m learning as I try to figure it out in real time.<\/span><\/p>\n 1. You Don’t Need to Have it All Figured Out<\/p>\n If I got a dollar whenever someone asked me what I wanted to do after college, I would probably have enough money to not have to work. I\u2019m kidding, but the truth is, you don\u2019t have to have your 20\u2019s all mapped out. From now to 25 to 28 and so on, you will grow and blossom in ways you never knew you could. Your career might not be linear, so don\u2019t fixate on something so far into the future. Focus on these next few months or maybe the year. Your first job is not the end all be all, it’s a starting point.<\/span><\/p>\n 2. You are on Your Own Timeline. It is NOT a Race!<\/p>\n Which brings me to my next point: live your life on your own terms. I don\u2019t blame you. I am a victim of doomscrolling on LinkedIn and of comparing myself to people who seem to have it better tha<\/span>n me. Your wealth and joy are not measurable by your salary or job title. You have to carve your own path, and it won\u2019t look like anyone else\u2019s. Everyone is going in a different direction, so acknowledge that and focus on yourself. There\u2019s a quote that goes, \u201cDon\u2019t look back; you\u2019re not going there,\u201d which, in a way, is applicable to this topic. You are not living out anyone else\u2019s lives, so don\u2019t waste your time comparing yourself to them.<\/span><\/p>\n 3. You Will Need to Hold Yourself Accountable<\/p>\n You\u2019ve worked hard and made it so far; you should be proud of yourself and give yourself some grace. That being said, don\u2019t take the easy way out. Just because you are not obligated to go to 8AM\u2019s, and your grade doesn\u2019t depend on it, that doesn\u2019t mean you should be unproductive, sleep in, or lose yourself. It\u2019ll be uncomfortable, but it will be worth it. Create small healthy habits and a productive routine. You don\u2019t have to change your lifestyle overnight, but you do need some structure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 4. It’s Okay to Grieve College and Be Ready To Leave<\/p>\n This is a bittersweet time. You can be excited to graduate and sad to close this chapter of your life. Both can be true. College was a huge part of your life, and I can\u2019t imagine all the memories you\u2019ve made in the past four years. That said, it won\u2019t be the best part of your life, because you’ll<\/span>\u00a0make new memories and have great experiences in the years to come. Don\u2019t think for a second that your life will be mundane after graduation. It will take a little more effort, but the possibilities are endless.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling lost or behind, you are not alone. Post-grad life is not about having it all figured out; it\u2019s about learning how to navigate the uncertainty. You should be proud of yourself for accomplishing college, and I believe you will be the best version of yourself. Good luck!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By GT Nguyen A BU Senior\u2019s Guide on How to Navigate Post-Grad Life Somewhere between enrolling for classes and walking on campus, it hit me that college is ending. No more living within a block radius of my friends or trying to find the free version of a textbook online. After graduation, it\u2019s just real … Continue reading GT: I\u2019m Graduating… What\u2019s Next?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9594,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[44627],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5838"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9594"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5838"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5839,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5838\/revisions\/5839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}