To the graduating college class of 2018, congratulations! You’ve made it. After years of your life and thousands of your dollars, you have the piece of paper. Then the cap and gown come off, and real life begins.
College graduation should be a big accomplishment, and it is, but the harsh reality of the real world will settle in shortly after graduation. You’ll begin a new routine in the form of work, job hunting, or grad school. This will start as a change of pace, but you’ll quickly realized your change of pace isn’t going to seem so fresh after a while. This repetitive nature is part the “real word,” as least as we accept it.
As someone who works with college-aged students on a daily basis, I know the majority of undergraduate students are supported financially and emotionally by their parents and family. The support is great, but in many ways it stunts personal development. Relying on parents to handle the difficult aspects of higher education enables students to avoid challenges. When times get tough, they know someone else has a solution.
There’s something refreshing about the pushy student who comes into your office demanding answers, or demanding to be an exception to the rule. Yes, they can be a pain to deal with, but you’re dealing with the actual student. There’s no middleman, no outside perspectives, no one emphasizing their points. These students are one step ahead of the pact because the know one fundamental truth of surviving in the real world:
You need to advocate for yourself.
Even the student who lands a job right out of school will eventually fall into a mundane routine. If he wants to be break the mold and change his situation he will need to advocate for that change. If he asks someone else to do all of the advocating for him, he will lose his sincerity and credibility by relying on someone else stand up for him.
After graduating, you will be in a pool of thousands of new graduates. They have the same degree as you, similar experiences, similar grades. If you’ve done something exceptional, it’s your job to make that known. You need to highlight your biggest successes and let employers know. Otherwise, you’re letting all of your accomplishments be defined by a simple piece of paper, and we all know most resumes aren’t read very thoroughly.
Graduating from college can be a hard transition, but doesn’t mean your skill set is complete. In fact, it’s just beginning and challenging situations are the opportunity to build skills. When faced with the challenge of building your new routine after college, you must rely on yourself to be your own advocate. Not everyone has mastered this, but the ones who have are the ones who make the most of their accomplishments and progress get the opportunity to expand their horizons.
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