Guest Blogger, Terence, is back with some advice for all of our recent graduates out there. Terence recently received his BS in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech and he now works at Bechtel. He blogs at The Tomas Experience and Awards Circuit as a film news reporter.
There’s a ton of advice online about what professional things you can do once you’ve thrown that graduation cap in the air and walked across the stage. But what about all the fun things you didn’t have time (or money) to do in college? Terence has great suggestions for you!
Jessica Ebony
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http://theadventurous500.com/college/10-things-to-do-after-graduating-college
For many of the readers of The LI$T readers, this is the home stretch towards graduation. First of all let me say, congrats you’re almost there! But what to do after you’ve crossed that stage, taken photos with family members, and written thank you cards for your graduation gifts? Here are my top 10 things to do when you finally “get out.”
1. Take a trip. Even if you can’t afford to go on some fancy trip to Europe or an exotic location, make it a point to go SOMEWHERE. Graduating from college is a momentous occassion that should be celebrated as such. Go with your friends some place, take a road trip to visit family, or just head to the nearest beach for some relaxation. If your looking for a cheap unique way to travel try Couchsurfing.com offers a unique travel (and free!) experience where travelers can drift from open couch to open couch, across the world.
2. Read a book, or five. Especially for you engineering majors, now that you have free time in your life to read book you WANT to read. Don’t let your mind turn to mush outside of work. The NY Times Best seller list and EW.com reviews are great places to find new books, or just go to your local Barnes and Noble or library and peruse their selection.
3. Learn to cook. As a responsible adult, this is something you MUST do. Knowing how to cook will save you money, keep you healthy, and even nab you a significant other.
4. Get a New favorite Show. TV is near and dear to my heart (I watch an absurd amount of television) and it can be a great distraction/relief after a hard day. Not only can you catch up on shows you missed during the year (Revenge and The Vampire Diaries are fantastic) there are some great shows coming back. Here’s a few you should tune in this summer: True Blood and Newsroom on HBO, Teen Wolf on MTV, the final season of The Closer and the return of Dallas on TNT, and Baseball Tonight on ESPN.
5. Clean up your social networks. You’re going to be a professional (hopefully), your social networks should reflect that. I’m not saying you should remove anything that could be misconstrued but take a good look at what you’ve posted or been tagged in. Whether you like it or not companies monitor these networks, don’t give them reason to think twice about you as an employee.
6. Find/Cultivate a Hobby. Now that you aren’t burdened by school expectations, take some time to do some things you like. Taking a class at the gym, joining intrmural teams at work, etc.
7. Join the alumni group of your school. You are about to reap the benefits of a degree from whatever school you graduate from, so make sure to stay connected with the school by joining the alumnit association and any affinity groups. Remember your network=your net worth.
8. Start Saving Money. Graduation gifts might pour in, but don’t rush to spend it all. Learn how to save your money for a rainy day.
9. Create New Goals. Now that you’ve conquered the beast, it’s time to take stock of your life and figure out the answer to this question: what now? Draw up some new short and longterm goals for yourself, it doesn’t hurt to have something to strive for.
10. Enjoy life!
- Terence
