It’s April 30th, which for some of you means less than one month until graduation. Today also happens to be my last blog post for USG. I’ve enjoyed sharing my opinions and tips with the community, and also hearing your feedback on what I’ve written so far.

After graduation some of you may be pursuing more schooling or starting your professional careers. Some of you might not even have anything set just yet. I wanted to share a few things I have learned along the way, post graduation day.

1. Your first job might not be your dream job
   • …And that’s OK. On your long journey to graduation you had to take classes that you may not have liked or that were “required” by the curriculum. In that same fashion, some of us may end up working jobs that really are not our favorite thing to do. You have to view this as a stepping stone toward something greater. That being said, you also have to know when to move on. This is where your friends and family come in handy.
2. Do not compare yourself to your friends or peers
   • No two people are exactly alike. If your friend already has a job and you do not, or if your friend was accepted to an excellent graduate program, but you have nothing lined up…well, so what? You are not them and they are not you. Our family, community, and schools all play a part in shaping who we are. Everyone has a different credo they live by. Live by yours and only yours.
3. Do acknowledge the fact that you have accomplished something great by graduating
   • One year ago in April 2017, the Census revealed that 33.4% of Americans have a bachelor’s degree or higher. You are one of those individuals. You are ahead of the curve! I noticed that a lot of people forget this fact. You have work hard for this. Take it in.
4. Hard work in school is different than working hard at work
   • Working in the “real world” is different than working or studying at school. Just know you will have to maneuver difficult people and situations more than before. Also, education really doesn’t discrminate in the sense that an older and younger person learning something new for the first time could still be on the same level of understanding of that new topic. At work (at least in my experience) the individual with more years of experience will always have more wisdom working on their side.
5. The learning never ends   
   • Yes, you are no longer a student in a school, but you are a student on the job. My experiences tell me that companies prefer employees who are willing and able to learn. Expanding your skillset while on the job is vital to being a contributor to the company’s goals. Someone once described this to me as a “student-forever” mentality. Always be humble and acknowledge there is something new you could learn.

Thank you to my readers. Thank you to USG for giving me the opportunity to write on behalf of the most wonderful educational institution. I wish all of the graduates the best in their future endeavors. You made it…cheers!