Whether you just walked across the stage or you’re preparing to in the future, here are three things our graduates wish they knew before the big day! ✍️
Your college experiences ARE real-world experiences.
Take a college radio show for example. In your mind, this might seem like a run-of-the-mill experience, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that the knowledge you’ve gained in the process is anything but applicable to the real world. Whether you’re planning events, running social media accounts, or simply working with a team, you’re developing skills that will directly impact your future.
You don’t have to be perfect to be qualified.
It’s not uncommon to think that you should wait to capitalize on an opportunity until you “know everything,” or feel like it’s the “right moment” to. To that we say, seize the opportunity! Nobody is ever going to start out as an expert, that kind of growth comes from allowing yourself to learn new things along the way. Your future employers, mentors and coworkers are not looking for someone that has all the answers, they’re looking for someone who is curious, passionate, and dependable.
You’re going to keep doing things for the first time. So, give yourself grace.
Even though you may have finished your last “first days” of school, first internships, first interviews or even first jobs, that doesn’t mean your experience with “firsts” are over. This might feel daunting, but just think about how many “firsts” you’ve already overcome in order to get where you are today! Growth is not always linear. There will always be some kind of “first” ahead of you, and that is no different for anyone else. Nobody has it all mapped out yet, so the most important thing you can do is simply keep showing up.