6 Tips To Survive The (Post) Grad Struggle

Now graduation and post grad is a cake walk for some people, but for others like myself, it was absolutely one of the hardest times ever. It’s summer, so I wanted to enjoy my last summer being a college kid, but I also didn’t have a full time offer, and had no money to figure what I was going to do. The worst part was that no one SEEMED to be feeling like that. Come to find out, I had a lot more peers who were in the same position. People just don’t tend to broadcast that part.

So basically I have come up some tips I wish someone would have given me.

1) The job search

• I personally started applying to jobs in February before I graduated. I would apply for some every two weeks or so, but as time grew closer and my current internship I was in told me that they didn’t have it in the budget to bring me on full time, I started to apply to like 20 a week. I was stressed out honey.
• Be proactive, try to intern at places that have a high probability of hiring their interns fulltime
• It’s a numbers game- apply apply apply! For every 15 applications, you may get 1-5 responses. So the more you apply the higher your chances.
  • With that being said, don’t let things get messy. Make sure your application materials are on point. Your resume, cover letter, and initial email correspondence are your first impression.

2) Be organized

• This goes for both your job search and life.
  • Organize all the jobs you have already applied to (I used an excel sheet) and their responses, interview outcome, and any particular information that you would need to remember
  • Make a loose plan for what you would ideally like to happen, then make a plan b and plan c. These kinds of plans help you to be able to focus on your goal and create a timeline, while ALSO leaving room for things to go differently.

3) Don’t get caught up in other people’s journey

• I found myself to be most stressed every time I would look on LinkedIn or Instagram and see that so and so got hired at (insert Major Corporation) or so and so got into (insert Ivy League) for Graduate School.
• What is for you is for you and nothing can get in the way of destiny!

4) Find a support system

• My mother and sister and I have been the three amigos since the day I entered this world and nothing has changed. If ever I need an uplifting word or a good laugh, I call or text one of them and they instantly make me feel as poppin’ as I am.
• I was also freakisly lucky enough to have found a group of like 20 girls on my very first day of college and all of them have been my rocks through life ever since. (We3 hunidddd)
  • Each day we would post in our group chat 3 things we were thankful for and 3 things we were speaking into existence. This helped us all to start each day with a positive outlook and to be grateful with the things we already have.
  • It’s great to find people who believe in you even when you can’t.

5) No shame in going home to yo mama

• Now this I had a hard time dealing with but there is no shame in going home after graduation. In college I had my own apartment but actually it’s quite helpful to go home for a bit, live for free, eat for free, save your money and spend all your time applying to jobs and interviewing, and BOW, you will be about before you know it.

6) Develop yourself

• Try new things, pick a new hobby. Give yourself an outlet for your stress. My hobby was probably just happy hour, lol. Just kidding. Kind of. But my friends and I tried to explore new parts of the city that we hadn’t gotten to experience yet. We also did stuff like have girls’ night and go on nature walks and random shit like that.
• Take the time to learn what you like, to eat well, to enjoy good company, and to take care of yourself physically, spiritually, and emotionally. It makes the transition to real adult life so much smoother.

Those are just some of the things that I know I had a hard time dealing with and that helped me get through those tough times. Whether you just graduated from college or you are going through a similar transitional period in your life, I hope something in all of this helps you.