YOU’VE GRADUATED. NOW WHAT?

The hats have been thrown, and now it is time to throw yourself into the real world. The real world being bills, work, and other responsibilities. At this point, if you were like me, you may not know exactly what you are doing and what you want to do. But don't let this intimidate you.

The most important thing you can do is have a goal! That is half the battle. Now all you have to do is research what it takes to get there. Don't get me wrong, this is a bit of an uphill battle, but the payoff is well worth it. You will run into problems such as financial, living, job search, social... etc, but I will get into that later.

When I look back at that transitional time in my life, it looks like I had everything planned out. But in all reality, I was half stepping most of the way, not fully knowing what I was getting myself into. But once I really figured what I wanted to do, I dove in headfirst!

You can get somewhere walking lightly on your toes, but you won't get far. It’s ok to tip-toe through some of school and a bit after graduating, but you really need to find that drive soon, otherwise its gets harder the longer you wait. Can we call this "Growing up?!" Plus, the parents are a bit easier to deal with when you tell them that you are working on getting somewhere in life.

This may seem like a time of panic and confusion. But don’t go running back to mom and dad (unless this is a financial move) just yet.

I was pretty much on my own here in Los Angeles, so I knew it was sink or swim. Believe it or not, this mentality helped me. I took a break from my consistent nightlife.
To help financially, be sure to contact your loan providers and ask about deferments and other options. This allows you a time of no payment without penalty.

My main focus was not on retirement savings or building a savings account balance, but just covering my needed expenses to make it until I got a job that gave me a steady stream of income and financially stability (BIG HELP).

Through thick and thin, this window of time to focus on my transition from college to career has paid off ten fold. This is my advice based on my experience.
Fight On.