There is more to life after graduation

The graduation month has come and will be fading up on us soon. Life of disappointment from unemployment is about to hit up. But bear in mind that there is more to life after graduation than how people put it. Here is what you ought do after graduation.

PROFESSORS ASAP

This should probably be done before you throw your graduation cap in the air. Get to your favorite professor and kindly ask for a blanket letter of recommendation before they get a fresh batch of bright-eyed students. Recommendation letters are a pain to ask for at any time, but chances are for every job you apply to, you’ll need at least one. Might as well be ahead of the game.

KNOW YOUR WORTH

Figuratively speaking, yes. By all means, know how amazing you are!

But I’m talking literally. When applying for a job, do your research. Know industry standards of what that position makes and not just for across the board but specifically for the city, the job is in. The cost of living is a major factor in settling on a salary. No one wants an employee who’s too stressed about paying rent to do their best work.

Also, take into account your internships, past jobs and leadership positions that set you apart from the other candidates. Just because a salary is on the table, doesn’t mean that’s the salary you have to take. Most companies will be very open to negotiating if you can prove why you believe you deserve more – and they just might think you’re a total badass for being smart enough to know it.

SET A LATER START DATE 

I can’t emphasize enough to push back your start date as much as possible. Yes, the appeal of a paycheck might have you jumping at the bit to start, but this could be the last chance you have in years to take a good amount of time off.

Going from the classroom straight to the boardroom without any downtime in between can cause major burnout. And because most employers don’t want their young, bright employees to hit that so soon, they’ll very likely respect your request to make your start date in September rather than July.

START THE HABIT OF SAVING

401Ks are becoming less and less common with entry-level positions, but most of the time retirement isn’t top of mind to a 22-year-old. Setting aside a little bit of every paycheck that comes through, even just $100 a month, will help you get into the habit of saving – something our generation isn’t really known for.

Does your money have to go into a retirement fund? Not necessarily. But it can sure come in handy for that spur-of-the-moment roomie reunion trip to Lollapalooza.

CLEAN OUT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

Set aside a day for the ultimate closet raid. Create a “keep”, “donate” and “toss” pile and be cutthroat. Follow the 4 “W”s rule and donate or toss items unless they fit into one of these categories: work, weekend, wedding (as in attending) or workout. Or as Rory from Gilmore Girls put it, get rid of “everything that you’d be embarrassed to be wearing during a car

CLEAN UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

Most college graduates, aside from the kid geniuses, are 21 or older. But if more than half of your Instagram photos are drinking-related or set in a bar/beer garden/red solo cup-covered tailgating field etc., it’s going to look like you did little else in college besides go to class and drink away your brain cells. Even if the latter is true, go through your feed and minimize these types of images. By all means, screenshot them and save them for your own personal memories, and don’t feel like you have to take down every single one. It’s okay that you weren’t a monk in college.