Welcome to Student Financial Guide Online

For most, life after college graduation usually consists of going back to school for a higher degree of education, starting a career, starting a family, or moving back home with your parents before deciding what to do with your life.  Whatever you decide to do, you should start preparing for the real world months before your graduation date. 

After being in school for the majority of your life it’s hard to decide what to do next.  With new life changes, you may not be able to sleep in, sneak in naps, or party every night with friends but you also may not be spending your weekends hitting the books anymore and actually have time to relax.  Whatever is to come in your future, here are some things to better prepare you for life after college. 

Keep your old friends, but make new ones as well.
Once you graduate you will notice that you may lose touch with some friends from college or move away and have no close friends near by.  So it’s important to build new relationships with people at work or in your community therefore not only will you have new friends, but a network of new connections.

No more free time. 
College is great because you can schedule your classes practically all on one or two days and then have the rest of the week to do whatever.  Some prefer to have class in the mornings while others would rather sleep in and take them at night.  However with a full time job, you’ll find little time for free time.  You’ll be lucky to even get a full two weeks vacation in the first job you take.  Use your weekends wisely because they will be sure to fly by.

Set goals for yourself.
Even though you have reached your goal of obtaining a college degree, you should still have many more goals you want to achieve in life.  What do you want to do with your professional life?  Do you want to climb the corporate ladder or own your own business?  What about your personal life?  Do you want to buy a house?  Do you see kids in your future?  Think hard about the goals that you want and strive everyday to achieve them.

Change sleeping habits.
Once in the “real world,” you won’t have the energy to stay up as late as you did in college.  You’ll need a full nights rest to have a productive eight-hour day at work.  This means saying so long to naps during the late afternoon as well.  With a forty-hour workweek, you wont have time to squeeze in a nap.  By the time you get home from work and do whatever needs to be done before the next day, the day will be shot and you’ll be going to sleep to catch as many hours as you can before the next work day.

Purchase work attire. 
For many, college class meant strolling to class in a comfortable tee shirt and pair of jeans or pajamas from the night before.  However, some college students do have a job and therefore professional attire, but if you don’t it’s important to update your wardrobe with suitable clothes for the profession you choose. If you want to be seen as a professional, you must look the part.  Save the t-shirts and sneakers for the weekend and invest in a business appropriate wardrobe to wear throughout the workweek.

Find a place to call home. 
Some college graduates move back home with their parents before deciding where they want to live and work, however some graduates already have a job lined up and need to find a place to live.  Are you going to want to rent at first or buy a home?  Will you have or need roommates to help cover expenses?  Consider your options and choose wisely.  Remember you have your whole life ahead of you so the first home you call home may not be your dream home but it’s a great starting point.

Manage your finances. 
Once you accept a job offer you should start saving right away, as well as enrolling in a 401k plan.  The more you save, the more you will have to live a comfortable retirement. You should also learn to budget wisely if you don’t already.  Budgeting is important because you will be taking on new expenses and will need to have enough money to cover all costs.  Lastly, if you use credit cards pay the balance off in full each month so you don’t dig yourself into debt and cause financial problems.

Be prepared for entry-level jobs. 
Even though you have a college degree, don’t expect your dream job to be handed to you or a huge paycheck for that matter.  A good-sized number of jobs available to new grads are entry-level and it usually depends greatly on how the economy is doing.  You will find that these jobs require hard work, low pay, and extra hours but if employers see your dedication and hard work, it is bound to open new doors for you.

Network, network, and network some more. 
How many times were you told in college to start networking?  It’s great to stay in contact with as many people as you can like old professors, friends, and family because they are bound to have connections to people in major corporations and organizations that may have opportunities that you could benefit from. These important associations will greatly contribute to your professional advancement.

Transitioning yourself from the daily college life to the “real world” may be a shock to some.  Use these tips wisely and you will start your new profession on a positive note.  Graduating from college is a great achievement and is only the start of many more to come in your life!