What is Life Really Like After Graduation? Vanessa Has the Answers...

*_My Life: An Investment Portfolio:_* The First Person. It is the tense that I am going to write this article in. Which, as you know, means that I will refer to myself in this article, and that when I do, I will refer to myself as 'I'. "The first person". A lofty presumption. *'I', In College* Throughout our lives, we have come to accept that certain sacrifices are worth making. For example, we take out college loans, knowing the financial hardships it will bring later. Why? Because our education "is worth so much more". (And hopefully, it will be.) A bachelor's degree will get you a "better" job. And by better, I, of course, mean higher paying. It opens doors for you. It allows for opportunities that otherwise would not be available to you. In short, education has become a well-accepted expense. And, nowadays, our schools even teach us how to invest the money which we will be raking thanks to our soon-to-be worthy brains. There are business management classes, personal finance classes, all designed to help students 'deal with the economic world' once they graduate. But students, don't forget, however "educational" college may seem, it is an aberration, too--an effervesce both monetarily and materially. There are standards in college that are unlike any other standards in the "adult" world. *'I', In Sweat Suits and Pajamas* My senior year of college, I took an Anthropology class with one Professor Smith. I went to this class in pajamas every Friday, and was usually back in bed by noon. But, one week, I had some questions about the lecture, so I lollygagged my way over to his office after class in my college sweatshirt and running pants. Something I should also mention about Smith: he is considered one of the premier anthropologists in the world: theories named after him and all. At the time, my attire seemed totally acceptable (at least, for his huge lecture hall). Seems, I was only thinking of me. "The first person". But now I look back and wonder, isn't it odd that Professor Smith found it acceptable, too? I, who am not even a remote scholar in the subject of anthropology, had the ability to go and speak to one of the most highly educated and intelligent men on the subject, make him answer all of my asinine, inane questions, in a sweatshirt and running pants. *'I', Unprepared* Fast-forward three months. I'm desperately sending out resumes and doing phone interviews as the time between the past, present and graduation slowly collapses in on itself. Soon, I get offered a job interview. I have to fly to Chicago in less than forty-eight hours. And, suddenly, everything is difficult. I don't have a nice blouse (that isn't also good for going clubbing). I don't have any appropriate shoes. Then, there's the problem of, how do I present my resume? Do I really bring a college folder with me? I don't have anything nicer, and otherwise it will get crumbled. Beyond wardrobe issues, I'm staying with friends in Chicago. After splurging on a (gasp) last minute plane fare, I obviously do not have the money for a motel. This means, in order to catch my return flight, I may even have to bring my duffle bag to the interview. Seems, I was not prepared at all. And so, I made about thirty-five last-minute, freaking out phone calls to my poor father who had to tell me, do not under any circumstances arrive at the office with your duffle bag. Instead, he instructed me to leave it in a locker, downtown at the train station. *'I', Not Quite the 'She'* In school, this was all manageable. Borrow a briefcase, a blouse, and some shoes. However, once I graduated, it was a slew of problems all over again. Now, in my high-powered job I have to sign a lease and put money down on an apartment before my job starts. And even once it starts, I don't get paid until two pay cycles later. And then, I'm catching up from the debt I accrued putting down the security deposit on my apartment. I have maybe two outfits to wear to the job. Already, I feel intellectually under-prepared, and now I have to feel underdressed as well? My adult self, my new me that I am preparing to be, has become a separate person. In fact, she is so future tense that I call her 'she' and write about her in the third person. As students, we spend so much money on college, we forget there are expenses attached to the dreams as well. In order to be prepared for the post-collegiate business world, we must invest in these other things, these 'accessories', as well. Fraternities do. Try thinking of your friends as investments. Justify your dues as, "Yeah, it's $500 just to buy friends, but if ever I go into a job interview and the boss was also a Beta Theta Pi, I'll have it locked up". Painful justification for drinking club? Maybe. True? Probably. And so is the fact that hanging out with your freshman floor pals, even when you have a test the following day, can be an investment. The next time someone needs a ride, give it to him. He may become a litigator who can get you out of that pesky lawsuit in seventeen years. Or he may become an engineer who can build the great technology piece you've conceptualized in your head. *The Perks of 'I'* College is a special time with unlimited access. Imagine going to Princeton in the forties, being able to walk into Einstein's office during his office hours for a chat. Or today. You can speak with Toni Morrison. But Princeton aside, college is a breeding ground. It is where ambitious people go to obtain the passport to the land of opportunities. These are the people whose good graces you want to be in for the rest of your life. When you graduate and move on, adjust quickly to this new you. Make it your new 'I'. Prepare for it in advance so, when you do graduate, you can slip into your new 'I' as easily as a new interview suit. And, don't forget that you aren't just paying for your classes, books, lab fees, rec fees and living expenses. You aren't just paying for the piece of paper that will hang in your office acting dually as an important proof of the sun's ability to fade paper and glass-dust attraction. You are paying for the exclusive rights to hang out at a schmoozy country club. And enjoy every minute of it. 'I' did. _It's a good investment._ delicious | digg | technorati
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