Learning to Adult: My Honest Experience After College

I feel like I always knew what life would be like after college, but actually working a full-time job in the corporate world is so much different from what I expected now that I am living it.

I noticed there are a lot of misconceptions about how your life is going to be after college, the 9-5, everyday is the same stereotype, and don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it is all wrong. But, there is so much more to living this way than being a robot.

I work an 8-4, so I feel like a lot of my day goes to work. It normally takes me 40ish minutes to get to work because of traffic (ew), but then I also have 5-10 pm at home. I normally walk my dog, work out, eat my meal prep, and then read my Bible when I get off work. I won’t lie, a lot of the days are the same for me because I want routine. But how do you have a life outside of your job? Hobbies! Find the things you are passionate about and love doing. Try to get off social media every once in a while and get off your phone (note to myself).

Me having a solo Bible study session after getting a chai latte in my car. Can you tell I got comfortable?

Hobbies are SO IMPORTANT! This generation is often so consumed by watching content and absorbing the lives of others that we lose the desire to pursue real hobbies or put in the work to the things we are passionate about. I myself do this more than I would like to. I noticed that although working a 9-5 is not always attractive, it is teaching me a lot. It’s teaching me discipline. The rewards of showing up every day. Adulting life. How to deal with people. How to challenge myself to do more than I thought I could. And although, ultimately, I do not want to do this for the rest of my life. I think this is an enriching experience for me to have.

The transition from college to real working life is not very cute for me! Honestly, the learning curve was really steep for me, maybe it is also because of the industry I entered, but just learning everything about adulting as well has been rough. Insurance, taxes, 401k’s, and freaking stamps. WHY IS THE POST OFFICE SO CONFUSING (sometimes)?!

Okay, I may be dramatic, but this is just my mind space right now. Anyways, I am once again getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. I embarrass myself sometimes, I make mistakes, and then I move on. But here are 4 action items I am taking to balance the stress and grow at the same time:

1. Prioritize my time with God.
   • Make at least 10 minutes every day to sit with the Lord and be still. 3 minutes of silence. 5 minutes of reading. 2 minutes of prayer. This is a good minimum on my low days.
2. Show up in my relationships.
   • It is easy to get so caught up in my personal llife that I neglect my friendships/relationships. You need people, no matter how introverted, shy, or whatever the case may be – you cannot do life by yourself. Find your community and stay connected.
3. Discipline myself to have hobbies outside of work
   • Whatever your hobby may be: sewing, running, reading, cooking, etc. It requires effort to show up when you don’t feel like it. Train your mind to focus on building your skills and talents outside of your job.
4. Reflect on my days or weeks
   • Keep an audit of where your time is going. Ask yourself genuine questions about what you enjoyed about your week and what you want to improve. I like to journal every night with these questions:
     • How did I feel today?
     • What is something I can improve on tomorrow?
     • What do I need to let go of right now?

The small ways you show up matter. The transition into adulthood can be intimidating, but all we can do is take each day one at a time. Honestly, the biggest thing that has helped me is just praying to God to help me let go of fear and doubt. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

If you have graduated from college and are also working full-time, what are some of the things you have learned? If you are still in college, what are some things you would like to know?

I hope everyone has a great week! 🙂 P.S. Here is one of my cute work fits. Yes, I need to clean my mirror.