What I Wish I'd Known About Post Grad Before Graduating College

There are so many things I have discovered about life in the past three months since I graduated. Some of them were things I was warned about and chose not to listen to. Some of them are things that were painful and exhausting to learn. Others were things I'm proud of. Here's what I've been warning all my May graduates about, although I know many of them will choose to find out the hard way:

1. Your friendships will change, end, grow, and transform. I've managed to stay friends with most of the people I was friends with in college. Some of those girls I haven't seen since I moved out in December, others I've seen more than I saw in my two years at CLU. Some I talk to everyday and others are simply a like on Instagram.
2. You will want to throw away all stability. Everything in life is so rocky when you graduate, that the stable things make you want to run away. Because everything was so uncertain, I didn't know how to handle the things that I was certain about, especially my relationship. I have had many freak outs, but luckily my boyfriend understands how I feel since he was in my position a year ago, and has been encouraging, supportive, and loyal.
3. It's okay to take a breath. A lot of my friends who are still in school gave me a lot of crap for not working for awhile after graduating. However, all the older people who have been long out of my position told me to enjoy my days of having no responsibility and binge watching Netflix, because I will NEVER be able to do it again, ESPECIALLY when I have kids.
4. It's okay to ask for help. I was very depressed beginning about three weeks after graduating, until about two weeks ago. It was a very difficult transition for me to be in school for 18 years and then suddenly no longer have any structure and any routine. I realized it's okay to ask for help from your family, friends, and even professionals. It's worth it to talk to someone instead of letting things build inside of you.
5. You are not the only person who has ever felt this way. I felt like the only person on earth who had felt these emotions. I thought that no one understood me and no one sympathized with me. However, a lot of people have been in this post-grad limbo and a lot more people will. Talk to them. Get advice. And prepare to give advice to those in the future.
6. Stay true to your gut. There were jobs I could've taken and I wouldn't have been happy. There was a job I took and I knew it wasn't right for me. I didn't have to find a career that I will be in for the rest of my life, but I did need to find a job I would wake up and not dread going to every day.
7. Nothing will go as planned. A year ago when asked what I would be doing after graduation, I had a whole nice beautiful plan lined up with lots of money, my own apartment, and a job I love. HA! Dream on. I'm broke, living with my parents, and working two jobs that pay slightly above minimum wage.
8. You're going to cry...a lot. All I've done is cry. I cry because I never see my friends. I cry because I still live at home. I cry because I'm a planner and NONE of this is part of my plan. I cry because I have one too many Jell-O Shots on St. Patrick's Day and someone makes me sad. I have 18 emotions a day, which no isn't healthy, but is all part of figuring out what the heck I'm doing here right now.
9. It's lonely. This goes along with #5, but you will feel like no one understands you. Especially graduating mid-year like I did. I only had one other friend graduate in December and she's 500 miles away. So many times I have felt so alone in this transition, even when I'm surrounded by people.
10. Graduating college is a huge accomplishment. Be proud! You worked your butt off for four years, or three and a half or five, or however long it took you, BE PROUD! It takes a lot of time, effort, motivation, all-nighters, and support from those who love you to graduate, so enjoy the fact that you've made it this far, and you will continue to do great things!