Does life get better after college? This post will tell you everything you need to know.
Okay, so you’ve finally graduated college. Now what?
You have so many routes to choose from. Do you want to take a year off to backpack around the world? Do you already have a job lined up and ready to venture into the corporate world? Or, are you taking a leap of faith and starting your own business?
But the question I’m sure you’re all wondering is… Does life get better after college?
To be honest, I think life DOES get better. But, you do have to put in the work to MAKE IT BETTER first. Since no one is forcing you to study or work hard anymore, YOU are entirely responsible for your life! Oooof, I know, that sounds scary! But it’s exciting at the same time!
Related Post: Best Graduation Dessert Ideas for Your Big Day!
How Does Life Change After College?
If you’re not prepared, post-college life can hit you harder than you’ve ever expected. Here are some differences between college life and “the reality” and how to prepare for them:
Your Connections Matter More Than GPA
This is one of the harsh truths that I discovered after graduating college. Literally! No one cares about your GPA! I’ve applied to over 200 jobs on LinkedIn and I don’t remember any recruiter or company asking for my GPA. Not even once.
Of course, your grades can be a great indicator of how good of a student you were and how responsible you are when it comes to schoolwork. But! In the real world, your experiences, connections, and your ability to sell yourself during the interview matter much more!
Landing your first job right after college can be tough since you don’t really have much experience yet. So it’s important to network and use the connections you’ve made in college and during career fairs!
✅ Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to reach out to recruiters on Linkedin and build a personal connection with them! I’ve actually landed an interview this way!
You Might Feel Like You’re Behind In Life
In college, I’m sure you’ve felt the competition between you and your peers. Who’s getting the highest grades in the final exams? Who’s getting into that prestigious Google internship program? Who’s getting into that sorority where only pretty girls are considered? Etc, etc.
After college, it’s even easier to fall into the comparison trap:
- Oh! Sarah’s getting paid 90k a year while I’m still can’t land ONE interview?
- Wait, what? James now makes millions a year because he blew up on Tiktok a few months ago?
- Omg, Sam is now traveling the world with her billionaire fiance and living her best life! How cute (cries…)
and trust me, the list goes on and on…..
I’ve been down this road before and it’s not a cute situation at all. I ended up spending so much of my energy comparing myself to all my friends or random people on Social Media and feeling like an absolute piece of sh*t. Instead, I could’ve used my precious time and energy to improve myself and work toward my goals.
✅ Pro Tip: If social media is making you feel bad about yourself, delete it! Be nice to yourself and stop beating yourself up for not being where you wanted to be. You are on your own journey and that is SO SPECIAL✨ Take your time babes!
Credit Is Something You Need To Build
Yikes. I wish someone would’ve told me this earlier! If you haven’t already, get a credit card to start building your credit. Pay off your credit card balances each month and keep your credit utilization low. For example: If you’re given $1500 to spend on your credit card monthly, try to only use less than $450 (30% of your credit).
Having credit is super important in the adult world because it can help you get what you need, like qualifying for a loan or being able to buy a house!
So start building your credit early! One of my favorite perks of having a credit card is being able to earn cashback and points that you could use toward flights or other purchases! It’s literally free money.
✅ Pro Tip: Turn on auto payments for your credit card just so you don’t miss any payments! Paying off your card each month is SO important when it comes to building your credit! Also, try to stay under 30% credit utilization!
Your Student Loans Can No Longer Be Ignored
The worst thing about graduating? Mrs. Sally Mae is coming for you, sis!
Of course, waiting for the government to cancel all of your student loans could also be an option. But, unfortunately, we also have to be a bit more realistic here.
After graduation, you typically have around 6 months before your loans start accruing interest. So it’s a good idea to start planning how you’re going to pay off your loans ASAP.
I know! It’s super daunting. But not paying off your loans on time is even scarier. Imagine still paying your student loans in your 60s. Oooof. Not cute! Not Sexy!
✅ Pro Tip: If you’re still looking for a job after graduation, start a side hustle in the meantime to help pay off your loans! Sell your own products online, build a money-making blog, or start a YouTube channel. There are so many ways to make money!
Making Friends Can Take More Effort
In college, making friends was super easy. If you stayed in campus dorms, joined clubs, or went to parties, you’ll mostly have made a bunch of friends already within your freshman year.
Life after college though, things could look a bit different. If you’ve decided to start a job in a new city, this means that you’ll most likely have to make new friends! And if you’re working in the city where your college is, it’s also probable that most of your college friends have moved home or out of the city after graduation.
So! Either way, you’ll need to make the extra effort to build or maintain your friendships as a “real” adult since everyone’s more busy and far away from each other now.
✅ Pro Tip: If your friends are all spread across different cities or even countries, try to set up a Zoom date every once in a while to keep everyone updated on each other’s lives!
Related Post: 25 Long Distance Friendship Gifts Your Besties Will Love
Side Hustles Should Be Taken Seriously Now
If I could go back in time, I would’ve start my side hustles EARLY! Like… freshman year of college!
I don’t know about you, but the 9 to 5 lifestyle just ain’t for me. If you also think the same, then you need to have a game plan on how you’re going to “escape” this lifestyle and live your life on your own terms.
There are SO many ways to make money online that school don’t teach you about! Affiliate marketing, selling products online, sponsorships, starting a blog, and even offering coaching sessions. The opportunities are endless, and the earning potential is unlimited.
???? P.S: You NEED to read this iconic book by Napolean Hill called Think and Grow Rich if you haven’t already! It completely transformed the way I think about wealth creation.
Who says that you should work a regular 9 to 5 after college? If you’re passionate about videography or e-commerce, start a side-hustle related to it and take it seriously!
With hard work and perseverance, you can eventually replace your 9-5 job income with your side business!
✅ Pro Tip: Use your free time to learn about how to build a business and make money online! One of best things about online businesses is that you can potentially earn long-term and stable passive income! I mean, what’s better than being able to make money while you sleep? Not much.
You’re Fully Responsible For Your Life
Yes girl, nobody else but you are responsible for your life!
In college, everything is so structured. You register for classes, attend lectures, do your homework, get a passing grade, go to office hours, etc. Your schedule is planned out for you and you know exactly what you need to do in order to “succeed” at school.
But after graduation, what does “success” even mean anymore? Does anyone have a clear answer? Because I would love to know.
As you enter the real world, your life is now literally in your own hands. Every decision you make will have an impact on your future, and you are entirely responsible for what you do with this freedom and power.
This sounds scary I know! But it’s also super empowering! Want to start a business and make 50k a month passively? Girl! You can totally do it! All you need is a plan, some courage, perseverance, and committment to your vision.
Ultimately, you owe it to yourself to be the best you can possibly be! Start now and stop waiting for the right moment. Ten years from now, you’ll thank yourself for plucking up the courage to pursue that dream or goal!
Does Life Get Busier After College? Or Is Life Easier After University?
Ummm, I wouldn’t necessarily say that life gets easier and less busy after college. In fact, you’ll probably have more problems to worry about! But there are practical ways you could MAKE life easier and more chill, for example:
- Learn to say no more often
- Follow less people on social media
- Declutter your bedroom
- Decrease your screentime and go out in nature
- Set autopayments for your bills and loans
- Keep track of your expenses with budget apps like Mint
- Maintain a daily schedule
- Focus your efforts on things you can control
- Treat yourself once in a while!
- Write in a journal to keep yourself sane during those difficult and lonely days
It’s Okay To Struggle After College!
Some people are living their absolute best life after college even though they suffered in college, while others are really going through it after graduation though they had a blast in college.
Remember! Everyone’s on a different journey and are learning different lessons throughout this lifetime. Whenever you’re feeling behind, just know that you are unique. And that you are meant to go through what you’re going through right now to become who you want to be. It’s all part of the process.
If you need to cry, CRY! It’s completely okay to feel like sh*t sometimes.
I hit rock bottom 6 months after graduation. I absolutely hated my job and felt like my life was literally falling apart in front of my eyes. Gosh! It was the hardest time of my life but it brought me to where I am today and I am BEYOND grateful.
✅ Pro Tip: To experience happiness in life, you must know what sadness feels like. To truly enjoy the “ups” in life, you must also go through the “downs“. Just remember this when life is hard: “THIS TOO SHALL PASS” …. because it will.
Conclusion: What You Need To Know About Life After College
I know, this is a super long post but I’m so glad you made it to the end. Here’s a recap of what we touched on earlier about life after college:
- Life doesn’t neccesarily get easier, but you can make it BETTER!
- Your connections matter more than your GPA
- You might feel like you’re behind in life
- Credit is something you need to build
- Your student loans can no longer be ignored
- Making friends can take more effort
- Side hustles should be taken seriously now
- You’re fully responsible for your life
- It’s COMPLETELY okay to struggle after college!
Lastly, I hope this post has been helpful to you! Life can get crazy sometimes but just know that the universe is always taking care of you. It can take some time to adjust to the “adult” world after college, but you’ll get the hang of it! I believe in you!
xoxo,
Jamila
