C'est la vie!

Greeting to the Classes of 2011 from colleges everywhere! Congratulations on making it through your first summer after graduation! Trust me, I understand how hard it must have been for a lot of you. I saw the tweets and the facebook status updates about how weird and sad it was that you weren't heading back to your res halls and campuses for another fun filled year living the college dream. I'm sure it was tough reading the tweets of the new seniors ready to make their last year count; especially when you're saying to yourself (and probably commenting on their status or replying to their tweets), "you better cherish these last few months," or "enjoy every minute of it," or "wah (Snooki voice)! I'm so jealous! I wish I were going back!"

Listen, it is ok. College was a blast but it's over now (at least undergrad anyway but graduate school is much different from undergrad). The "real world," as scary as it sounds and actually is, is not bad. As I've mentioned in a few, if not all, of my posts, you need to make some plans and you'll feel better. Waiting to make plans after college is already over is definitely a poor choice but if that is the only option you have at this point, don't give up. The economy is tough and jobs seem impossible to find but there is hope. You need to work hard to make productive steps in the right direction and it may seem like your hard work is not paying off but all the hard work will be worth it. Life is hard, everyone knows that. However, it is possible to be happy even if the life you have always dreamed of living never becomes a reality.

I realize this sounds very depressing but don't think of it that way. Think of it as a realization that the possibilities are truly endless. I'm not giving you false hope. I'm trying to motivate you to fulfill your potential. You can do it!

Here are some things to keep in mind during this first fall where you didn't have to buy school supplies or new school clothes (yes, some people still went school shopping for clothes in college but, no, I was not one of them):

1. C'est la vie!

Your life is not over. Make the best of these next few years. Having a job and making/saving money is much more fun than you may think. Besides, you had to become a real adult eventually.

 

Yes, I included this video. Don't act like you didn't think of this song when you read the words "C'est la vie" and that you didn't jam out to it at one point in your life. We all have. It's ok.

2. Business as usual

No, you're not in undergrad anymore but you don't have to become an elderly person overnight. You can still have fun. Sure, your friends aren't one apartment or res hall room away anymore but they're never too far away. This is a big step in life and a lot has changed but it doesn't have to change for the worse.

3. Be Responsible!

Sure, you can still have fun but you must be responsible. I'm not speaking specifically about responsible drinking (get your mind out of the college gutter). I'm speaking about the fact that you're a real life adult and you don't have the excuse of "going through your college phase." You are expected to have some sort of an honest income and to be working to establish a place for yourself in the world. Better yourself. To do that, you must take responsibility for your actions and hold yourself accountable. After all, you've been learning this responsibility lesson your whole life. Your parents and teachers have told you that this day would come and here it is. Make the most of it.

4. They're jealous, too!

You may be jealous of your friends and former classmates who are still cozy in the safety net that is college but they're jealous of you, too. Odds are you're making much more money than they are; considering work study isn't the most lucrative occupation. If you don't have a job yet, this clearly isn't the case for you. However, you'll find a job eventually and this will be the case for you.

Live your life to the fullest and remember that you're still hip and relevant.

Sincerely,

J.A.B.