As a teenager, Aleisha Ziegler thought she knew it all.

“My mom and dad would talk with me about defensive driving, avoiding dangerous places, people I shouldn’t hang out with and all kinds of other things,” said Ms. Zeigler.  “I would totally disregard them because I thought I already had it all together and I didn’t need their help.  Looking back, I realize I was wrong.  I was far from having it all figured out.”

Many young people leave home and even graduate from college without having a clue what it will take to live on their own, run a household and manage their money.

“When you are in high school you have a lot of people helping you move to the next phase of life, but when you graduate from college it’s kind of like, ‘Have a nice life,’” said Ms. Ziegler.  “Now that I am out on my own, I realize so many things my parents did for me that I took for granted.  I never thought about what it costs to have a phone, electricity, cable television, insurance for the car, food on the table and to pay rent not to mention health insurance.  All of that was always there.  It has been a real eye opener to have to pay all of the deposits on top of the monthly bills.  Now I have to worry about whether I have $50 to put gas in my car or do I need to use some of that money to purchase groceries.” 

In many instances college graduates expect to get a job and live at the same standard in which they were raised.  Unfortunately, these expectations are not realistic.  Most entry level jobs pay significantly less than you had hoped for after four years of hard work and living like you lived when you were at home would require you to go into tremendous debt.   Welcome to the real world.  The good news is you don’t have to cram for anymore exams.  The bad news is no more summers off and you have to get up and be at work by 8 every day.

“We have seen plenty of students who are feeling the after shock following graduation,” said Donna Cooper, Counselor in the UTC Counseling and Career Planning Center.  “Many seniors are so busy anticipating graduation that they fail to plan for life after college.” 

Even though you have graduated most schools will still allow you to avail yourself to the job placement center.  If you didn’t set up a senior file, you can do that and be notified when people in your area of interest come to the campus to conduct interviews.

If you are a recent college graduate, Mrs. Cooper makes these suggestions to help you get off to a great start.

• When you go to work, don’t expect your employer to anticipate your needs, like your parents did. 

• Set an alarm clock.  Employers expect you to be on time.

• It is best to dress up for your new job rather than down.  After you have been there for a period of time and seen what others wear you may be able to dress more casual.

• Study the people you work with to learn their personalities and the office dynamics.

• Brush up on your social skills, especially if you have been glued to a television, computer screen or Xbox.

• Volunteer in the community.  This is a fast way to get connected and make new friends now that all of your college friends are scattered across the country.

• If you don’t have a resume, make one.  You may be smart, but if you don’t get out there and market yourself, you’ll be the best kept secret in town.

• Find a mentor, somebody in your field of work or through the alumni association that is a few steps ahead of you who can give you guidance on how to navigate the pot holes.

• If you have a job, plan to stay there for at least a year in order to build your resume.

• Make a budget and learn how to live within it.  Don’t make any major purchases until you have enough money in savings to cover 3 months of living expenses.  If you find this difficult, take a money management class.

• Pool your resources, carpool with friends, have a plan for cooking, learn to pack a lunch.  Living alone is very expensive.  You have to ask yourself if it is worth it to handle the bills alone.  Suddenly those roommates don’t look so bad!

• Find a place of worship where you can be connected to a group of people who will help you along the road of life.

“The reality is, life is hard,” said Mrs. Cooper.  “Adjusting to life after college can be overwhelming and stressful.  Take one day at a time.  Keep your expectations realistic and don’t let pride get in the way of asking for help when you need it.”

“Everybody always tells you that you will look back and realize how much you didn’t know,” said Ms. Zeigler.  “No matter how many times you hear it, you don’t believe them.  Keep it in the back of your brain that their probably right.  Your parents have already been down this road and they are telling you things to help prepare you for life after college.”