You're a college senior in your last semester of undergrad, and it finally hits you that in a few short months, you're going to be out in the real world. That might sound incredible to some, and terrifying to others.
In addition to all the mixed emotions you undoubtedly have about leaving the place you called home and the friends you called family for the past four years, your expectations are probably all over the place as well. Will you find a job? When will you move out of your parents' house? Will you even be able to pay off your loans? How the heck are you supposed to be an adult?!
In less than a month, it will be exactly one year since I graduated college, and I've come to learn that no matter your expectations and no matter how you prepare, the year after graduating is a roller coaster of emotions and events that no one sees coming.
The Freedom Phase You've just graduated and you're feeling on top of the world. I mean, why wouldn't you? You just completed four, long years of school and earned a degree. Looking at things on a bigger scale, you just completed 16 years of schooling! You deserve a pat on the back.
Furthermore, you're finally free. No more late night study sessions, no more cramming in between work and class, and best of all, no more finals. It's the best feeling in the world. So, you take advantage of it, which usually includes a lot of long nights at the bar, catching up with friends and talking about how you're going to get your dream job and move out by the time winter ends.
This phase also typically includes a lot of shopping. You're an adult now -- what you thought was business attire most likely won't cut it for an interview for a big girl job. It starts off as shopping for future interview clothes, but you have extra graduation money, so you splurge on yourself a little. But hey, you deserve it!
Most conversations with friends, family, etc. during this phase include a detailed plan on exactly how you're going to land that dream job pretty soon. You window shop for apartments with your best friend, completely convinced that you'll be on your own in no time.
The Freakout Phase No matter how short or long-lived your freedom phase lasts, it will come to an end. Commence freakout phase, where it hits you that you're a full-blown adult. Or at least you're supposed to be.
All those late nights at the bar catching up with friends are starting to catch up on not only your body, but your bank account as well. You start to question how you ever survived going out two nights in a row in college, and find out the hard way that an adult hangover is the definition of a nightmare. You realize that if you ever want to move out of your parents' house, the $200 in your savings account isn't going to cut it. Even more frightening, your loan payments are due in a few months and you have no idea how you're going to pay them.
The idea that you'll never find a job in your field, no matter how hard you try, becomes fact in your mind, and you just want to give up. More than likely, you and your best friend sit around on various occasions and discuss how scared you are that life will never turn out how it was supposed to, and how finding a job is literally impossible (of course you're doing this while sipping a big glass of wine, because wine is a lot classier and more adult-like than beer).
When you're not complaining about being jobless, you're job hunting -- which is a full-time job in itself -- and you get indescribably frustrated with how unnecessarily in depth some applications insist on being. Throughout this process, you wonder why you chose the major you did, which leads you to question 98% of the other decisions you've made in the past four years.
The Fresh Start Phase While it may seem as if the freakout phase will never end, I promise you it will. To be brutally honest, it will feel like it took years to get to the fresh start phase, and that the freak out phase was the worst time in your life. However, the freakout phase is actually pretty necessary and beneficial; without it, the fresh start phase isn't possible.
Once the fear, stress and anxiety of the freakout phase all subside, you realize that it has all taught you exactly what you want from life. Catching yourself constantly refreshing your inbox to see if that job you applied for has responded, you truly discover the path that you want your life to follow. Furthermore, you realize that after college, you get a fresh start.
Once again, the last semester of college is a roller coaster of emotions -- you're sad because you don't want to leave, you're happy because you finally get to leave, you're scared for what's ahead, and you most likely don't want things to end. But that's the thing... it's not the end, it's only the beginning.
You are about to embark on a brand new chapter of your life, and that's both exciting, and scary as hell. Regardless, this is basically a brand new start. You're about to meet dozens of new people at whatever job you end up landing, you're about to challenge and surprise yourself, and you're about to truly discover who you are and what you're capable of. Embrace it! I know that's a lot easier said than done, but believe me, it's possible.
The truth is, no matter how much we prepare, the first year out of college isn't going to be easy. Well, at least not for the average graduate. If you get lucky enough to land a great job -- or any job for that matter -- straight out of college, or shortly thereafter, recognize how much of a blessing that is, and work your butt off to do the best you can. If not, that's okay too. While freaking out is inevitable, allow yourself to get to the fresh start phase; don't get too down on yourself or feel like a failure, because eventually, you will be successful, and you will get that job you've been waiting and working so hard for. Regardless of what phase you're in, allow yourself to have fun along the way.
Most importantly, remember not to take life too seriously -- no one gets out alive anyway.
Going to college is scary. I don't care who you are or if you love the thrill of a huge life change, it's a scary process. You get to a brand new school, with thousands of brand new people, and have no idea where to begin. Everyone always tells you that "getting involved" will make college that much better, but how do you even get involved?
Well, there's probably hundreds of ways you can get involved, but joining a sorority is getting involved in a number of ways. I could probably go on forever about why you should join a sorority, but I'll limit myself to 18 reasons. While I'm constantly struggling to break the negative reputation that sorority girls receive on a regular basis, this isn't going to be one of those "Total Frat Move" posts about joining a sorority to hook up with frat guys. This article contains genuine, yet lighthearted reasons as to why you should put some serious thought into going through formal recruitment (but of course I still had a little bit of fun with it).
There will always be someone to go to Walmart with you at 2am when you're trying to procrastinate the paper you have due in the morning.
There will always be someone who also procrastinated their homework and will be up until 2am with you.
There's a bond with the girls in your pledge class that you won't find anywhere else.
You literally have 50 new closets full of clothes to choose from (it's cliche, but true).
Homecoming week will be one of the best weeks of your life.
Whether you feel like staying in, going out, or seeing a movie, there will be someone that will feel like doing the same thing.
You'll walk away with BOXES of clothing, having paid for less than half of them.
Cue Senior Wills, where you'll feel like a celebrity.
Recruitment will be one of the scariest, yet most exciting times of the year.
Finding out your rush crush is soon to be your sister is like finding out your soulmate loves you back.
Very rarely will you pay for your own drinks. I don't mean to live up to the sorority girl stereotype, but hey, it's true, and who doesn't like free things?
There's no better feeling than becoming a Big and welcoming your Little into your family.
Kitchen time (when everyone sits at the table, stuffs their face, and recaps their previous night) can sometimes be better than the actual night out.
Meeting a girl from another chapter is like meeting a long-lost friend.
Your networking skills with drastically improve.
Putting your sorority on your resume really does impress and interest employers, and creates an easy scapegoat when they ask you to tell them about yourself.
Your people skills will only get better -- recruitment can be very awkward if you don't know how to hold a conversation. Believe me, you learn quickly.
You make a difference -- each sorority has one specific cause that they hold philanthropy events for in order to raise funds and spread awareness. The difference that one group of women can make when they are passionate about something is truly amazing.
I understand that sororities aren't for everyone, but think twice before you automatically count one out. Each sorority is unique in its own way; while one may be horribly wrong for you and shy you away from sororities as a whole, don't let it. You may find one that's the perfect fit, that you can't see getting through college without.
If you're lucky enough, you'll find one that changes your life forever, like I did -- Love in AOE.