College is over! You’ll miss your friends, the parties and the lack of real-life responsibilities, but there are so many benefits you can experience right now.
Let’s celebrate achieving your college degree and entering adulthood by looking at all of the wonderful things you have coming your way.
No Homework
No more papers to write, no more late night cramming for exams and no more school projects. You are done! Now depending on your career, you still may have projects and assignments you’ll need to complete at home. The upside to that, though, is that you’ll gain work experience and get paid for these tasks.
Money, Money, Money!
Speaking of getting paid, you can finally put your time into a full-time job. You have the opportunity to make more money since you will be working 40+ hours a week. With more money, your life can get an upgrade all around. You’ll hopefully be able to drive a better car, shop at higher quality stores, dine at nicer places and maybe even upgrade from boxed wine to a bottle of the good stuff.
Independence
With more money comes more independence. You’re now free to go where you please and when you please without asking your parents for a small loan. Now, you will have to remain responsible and budget for your bills, groceries, savings and don’t forget those student loans. Now that you’re entering the real world, there’s no get-out-of-jail free card, so to speak. Your decisions will affect you more now. Handle your newfound independence with care. You’ll want to keep your permanent record clean, your credit score high and your decision-making skills sharp.
Your Living Space
Since we’re on the subject of independence and credit scores, guess what you’ll get to do after you graduate? You can rent an amazing apartment or even purchase your first home. This is one of the most exciting parts of leaving the nest. Along with making your own money, having your own space is the key to independence. Let’s be honest, whether you’re 12 or 22, if you live under your parents roof, they will still treat you like their baby. Venturing out on your own and finding your new digs will be liberating and much more comfortable. It’s also an excuse to mosey on over to Ikea, eat Swedish meatballs and spend a lot of money on cute furniture and decorations.
Healthier Habits
After college, it’s time to stop eating Easy Mac and ramen noodles. You can live a healthier life by making home cooked meals, storing fresh produce and freezing meat. Plus, you’ll have the space and financial resources to prioritize your fitness. A Pilates or yoga mat in your living room, a treadmill in the basement or maybe even a stationery bike in your bedroom will make it easier to get in a little more exercise. If you’d rather join a gym, your new, bigger wallet will hopefully allow you to afford a membership. You’ll also hopefully cut down on the partying since you won’t have much time for that with your new big girl job. With less alcohol intake, you’ll be able to develop healthier habits. Hint: No more “fourth meal” and bye-bye, beer belly!
Ability to Explore & Try New Things
Other than studying abroad and spring break trips, your school schedule and lack of funds probably didn’t give you much of an opportunity to explore/travel. You may be lucky enough to land a job that will require you to travel or maybe you’ll find a position that helps you afford to travel on your own. There are also jobs out there that offer an abundance of vacation days, which will give you more time to be a tourist in your own town, spend time with family and friends or just hop on a plane and go! These opportunities give you a chance to see and try new things and meet new people. You can really discover yourself through these experiences. This is certainly easier to do before having children. That does not mean that children will hold you back, but we advise that you start traveling ASAP!
Marriage & Starting a Family
Did we say children? Yes, children! Even when you’re single, it’s hard not to think about getting married and having kids. This is especially hard because you’ll start to notice more and more friends posting pictures of their engagements, weddings and baby announcements on social networking. Imagining dream weddings and coming up with baby names is inevitable for us girls and after college you are that much closer to the real thing. This is super exciting. You’ll take dating more seriously and relationships will start to go to the next level. You will start to feel like your “biological clock is ticking,” but there’s no need to rush.
The New, Mature You
Let’s recap. You have more money, a place of your own, the ability to explore, you’re close to starting a family and you’ve developed healthier habits. This all leads to a new, mature and happier you. You’ll stop sweating the small stuff, focus on your responsibilities and make time for things that are important to you. The gossiping will come to a minimum and, while your circle will get small, it will become much more loyal. Additionally, the way you handle certain situations will change because you now have something to lose. That something is everything you’ve gained and achieved from building this part of your life. You will be a legit grown up and you will love it!
Feature Photo via We Heart It
