国产传媒

Make sure you do your due diligence on the city and job culture you move into. It can be very difficult if expectations aren't aligned with reality. 鈥�22

听If you feel lonely, try to build friendships from work. Go out to new places and strike up conversations with new people. If you have acquaintances or friends in your city, meet up with them and try to build a bigger group of some new and old faces! 鈥�21

Weekends can be more fun than in college. Weekdays are horrible. 鈥�16

Just go for it. If you鈥檝e done the work, the transition won鈥檛 be so bad. If you know no one else in the area, try to find a roommate or join Facebook groups that will help you at least find some people to start out with. And if that fails, you always have co-workers! 鈥�17

I found new friends both during and after 国产传媒 through joining intramural sports leagues! It's a great way to stay fit while making friends with people who share a common hobby. 鈥�21

It may be tough to leave school and enter real life. We all feel it. Make friends with those a little older than you and ask them for advice. Wisdom is found in some very unexpected places. 鈥�21

Trust yourself - this isn't easy, but you'll fall into a routine.鈥�24

Everyone鈥檚 trajectory is different, so be wary of comparing yourself to your peers. Some people will go to grad school, some have amazing jobs, some might have negative job experiences yet post amazing things on social media. No graduate鈥檚 next steps are better than another鈥檚 鈥攖hey are what they are! Be proud of what your next steps are, no matter what they are. 鈥�16

I moved to an area where there was no one from my hometown or 国产传媒, but I found friends through work, through Bumble friends, and through mutual friends. I regularly keep in contact with my family which has helped. I love and value all the new friends I鈥檝e made. 鈥�21

It鈥檚 weird going from living with all of your friends within five minutes to everyone spread out across the country. Especially if you鈥檙e moving away from family/friends. Make time to call/text your friends and family. Explore your new city. Finding friends can be hard鈥攁 roommate can honestly be so helpful for both your budget and your mental health. Give yourself some grace as you adjust鈥擨 swear it gets easier. 鈥�19

Look for a community that you vibe with! Personally, I always look for a church in the area I鈥檓 moving to and oftentimes make great friends that way. 鈥�18

Make friends in your new city as quickly as you can. A social group makes all the difference in feeling at home. 鈥�17

Travel while you can! If you have time before starting your job, go explore the world because unfortunately you鈥檒l be tied down for some time after. 鈥�17

Find something in life you really enjoy and invest in it, whether it鈥檚 time or money. This will be an anchor in your life whenever things aren鈥檛 going well in other areas. 鈥�19

Your life will be more structured, and time will go by faster. That's ok! Embrace it. 鈥�23

Life after graduation is going to feel weird at first. You鈥檝e spent nearly your entire life with the identity of a student and for most of you reading this, that may no longer be the case. It鈥檚 a huge shift. For example, no longer are your closest friends right across the hall from you or a short 10-minute walk away; you must put more effort into maintaining your friendships. But, on the plus side, you are no longer staying up late worrying about papers and final exams. There are highs and lows to this transition and just learning to embrace all of those emotions is a step in the right direction. You鈥檒l eventually have a sense of security and identity in this new chapter of your life. 鈥�20

It wasn't a huge transition from grad school to living on my own. I was already living off campus in an apartment. The biggest thing I noticed was I had to put myself out there to meet people. There aren鈥檛 events on campus to help with that. I started by getting involved with things I already enjoyed and then moved into trying new things. It does take about three years to be really settled and have a nice group of friends. I did find hinge really helped me make friends.鈥�22

Make sure that you find a community wherever you are whether it鈥檚 through a hobby, religious organization, work, etc. Having a group of people, you can spend time with, and a local support network is something that is very important, especially if you are living in an area where you don鈥檛 have family or friends already. Find ways to stay busy and keep your mind active. 鈥�19

听Lean on your support system. It is very hard to have your friends spread out all over the country and have to essentially start over. You will eventually be able to rebuild a social group through work or grad school, but it鈥檚 OK to take some time to regroup with family or close friends before putting yourself out there again. 鈥�18

No matter how much you think you are ready for the transition, you really aren鈥檛. And that is OK! You and your friend group will all be having different experiences post-graduation, so don鈥檛 compare yourself 鈥攅veryone learns differently. Give yourself the space to change your mind, take care of your physical and mental health, and embrace the learning process. 鈥�18

Try to stay in touch as much as possible. Monthly phone calls or FaceTime go a long way. 鈥�21

Make friends and enjoy the ride. Keep a happy disposition. 鈥�23

Don't worry about "feeling lost" if you don't have your dream job immediately or if you feel like what now" after you finished climbing all these academic ladders. Now you have more time to focus on yourself, your career, and your hobbies. Enjoy! And try hard to maintain that work life balance. Burn out is real! 鈥�15

It鈥檚 quiet and lonely compared to a college campus. Stay in contact with people. Once you get some cash, get a hobby/invest in your hobbies. Money is magic. 鈥�18

Be kind to yourself. It鈥檚 not an easy time and even if you鈥檙e excited, you鈥檙e bound to get homesick or sad that college is over, and the real world is hitting. It鈥檚 completely normal, and as you settle into your job and city it鈥檒l fade. Make friends with co-workers, go to workout classes or other classes you鈥檙e interested in, play club sports. Getting a dog really helped me feel not so alone. Find a balance of having the lifestyle that makes you happy that is affordable. Take care of yourself, stay active. Work will get crazy but make time to take care of yourself and you鈥檒l be much happier. Remember, there鈥檚 nothing wrong with going back to your hometown. 鈥�17

Find an interest or two and stick to it, maybe find a Facebook group that does it in your area. Take walks and schedule things to look forward to during the weekend. 鈥�20

Make sure you get along with your roommates. Especially in a place like NYC, living quarters are tight so your friendship needs to be even tighter. There is no 鈥渘ew housing assignment鈥� next semester. You could be stuck with them for a while. 鈥�18

Know yourself. If you like to be alone, live alone. If you thrive around others, get roommates (pick carefully). 鈥�20

You will need to take initiative and make a concerted effort to form relationships after college. Pick up a new social hobby, like rock climbing, that will allow you to meet recent grads in a laid-back setting. Reach out to your local 国产传媒 Alumni Association chapter to see if they have any resources for recent grads. If you are religious, church and small groups are a great way to make friends. Seek out churches with a dedicated young professionals ministry and a large population of recent grads. 鈥�20

Once you leave school, life is not as black and white. There are no defined metrics of success and people won't often validate your accomplishments. This was scary for me as I always wanted to do well in school and get good grades, but it was also very freeing. You can do whatever you want, and nobody will judge you for it. Also, don't stress too much about work, unless you're in the medical field or government, you won't be saving/destroying lives daily. 鈥�24

There aren鈥檛 as many extracurriculars after college, so you have to work a little harder to form a sense of community. Whether it鈥檚 an intramural sports team, weekly volunteering, or a social group, make the effort to work an activity into your schedule early in the transition. 鈥�18

Finding a routine and learning to embrace alone time. 鈥�23

Community has definitely been the hardest thing to find when moving to a new city. Find something you are passionate about outside of work and find a group you can get involved with. I know some people do young adult intramural type leagues. For me, I joined a young adult group at a nearby church, and that鈥檚 provided a great community for me. Highly recommend! 鈥�22

Have a 5-year plan and always keep looking out for what鈥檚 next. 鈥�22

听I lean heavily on my Google Calendar to help me achieve professional goals, since I use the task feature to put items on my to-do list for each day, and I get a rush of serotonin when I check things off! I still need to explore methods to make personal goals.鈥�23

Make sure you always have your basics covered before you try for more. Don鈥檛 overstretch yourself until you have a routine established, at that point you鈥檒l be itching for more! 鈥�17

I set small deadlines along the way to the larger goal. I have occasionally used a web software called Trello to track my progress towards a big goal. 鈥�18

Write them down, give yourself plenty of time with clear monthly (e.g.) goalposts. 鈥�20

Practice grace鈥攇ive yourself grace when your expectations are not met, or you perceive a situation as a failure. As 国产传媒 students, it is sometimes difficult to remember that the best learning experiences come out of situations in which you were not perfect. 鈥�17

Revisit your goals every few weeks to see what鈥檚 working out for you and what strategies need to be adjusted. Involve an accountability buddy who is as invested in you achieving a goal as you are. 鈥�20

Have a side hustle. Something that helps advance your career that is unrelated to your current job.鈥�18

I set calendar blocks that allow me focused time on personal objectives.鈥�22

Spend some time every day doing something that moves you towards a goal. But you don't need to rush into this right after graduating. Enjoy your time post-graduation, goals you'll have will form naturally over time, then build towards them.鈥�22

Write down your goals and make plans or timelines to help you achieve them. It is OK if you are not working toward your goals all the time (we all need a break!) but have a plan to keep yourself accountable for your growth. Stagnancy is not it and investing in yourself is the best form of self- care. 鈥�18

I set my goals by defining what success means to me and what I want for myself. If you don't define your own success, you'll end up comparing yourself to more successful people in your circle and on social media too. 鈥�24

Have someone to keep you accountable and push you. 鈥�22

Never stop networking. Never stop learning. Never be satisfied with your position in life. 鈥�24

Success doesn鈥檛 come easy, but you should never be miserable (for too long) trying to achieve it. By this, I mean that you鈥檙e going to be stressed and tired and busy sometimes, but it鈥檚 worth it. When you鈥檙e stressed and tired and busy all the time 鈥� rethink your goals and see if there isn鈥檛 a better, more pleasant way of getting there. 鈥�20

听Tell someone else what you want to achieve and when you want it to happen. External accountability is hard to find, so you may have to create it. 鈥�19

听Write them out and work on them at your pace. Don鈥檛 be hard on yourself. Remember, they are your goals. 鈥�21

听Know your values and align your goals to that. Remember that they can always change, and it is not a failure to decide to change goals. 鈥�21

It鈥檚 all about discipline. You can鈥檛 really trust motivation by itself鈥撯�搕here will be so many times when you鈥檙e just not motivated. It鈥檚 difficult but just force yourself to take the steps that are necessary to reach your goals. 鈥�17

Be honest with yourself. Your goals could change midyear. Please be okay with that.鈥�20

My best advice is to not let the fear of failure stop you from playing the game (yes quoting Cinderella story). If there's something you want to do at work, with a hobby, with travel, or even dating, just go for it and know that you're doing the best you can at the time. 鈥�24

If you have a big goal, then break that down into digestible daily activities--small things you can complete each day. Don't be too hard on yourself. A small thing each day (even as simple as answering an email) is a daily goal. It'll add up over time. Keep focus on your relationships. All goals are achieved with the support from others. 鈥�15

Set manageable goals and don't get discouraged if you don't accomplish them right away.鈥�16

Moving home is a wonderful financial option, and it can definitely provide some mental/emotional stability as well. Make sure to communicate with your family members and set boundaries as needed. It is different living with parents as an adult. It may take some adjusting and reminders for all parties involved. Block off time to spend by yourself or out of the house so that you don鈥檛 feel like you鈥檝e lost your independence and privacy. 鈥�18

It鈥檚 OK. You鈥檙e not a failure, or a loser, if you have to move back in with your parents. Not everyone gets a cool high-powered job in NYC or into the graduate school of their dreams on their first try. It happens to WAY more people than you think! Regroup, reorganize, make a plan, and enjoy the free food while you can. YOU WILL BE OK!! 鈥�16

Set boundaries and remember you are an adult now. Find independence where you can. 鈥�20

Cherish time with family, while also giving yourself the freedom to act independently.鈥�22

Still try to fly and be independent. 鈥�24

Great option, just make sure you integrate with colleagues and new friends. 鈥�20

Take this time to sort out your goals, identify what will make you feel fulfilled, and enjoy the time you spend with your family/loved ones. 鈥�18

Set boundaries and expectations if you鈥檒l be living with your family. You鈥檙e an adult and should be treated as such but still need to respect the others in the house. Discuss how things will work with your family. It鈥檚 easy to fall into the trap of not meeting new people because you have your family as a safety bubble; I know moving back home can be frustrating, but you鈥檒l be saving money most likely, and it鈥檚 also nice to be around family. I didn鈥檛 realize how much I missed mine until I lived away for years, and coming back home was so nice. 鈥�17

Be respectful! Help, remember your place, and enjoy the opportunity. 鈥�20

Enjoy family time, as it is valuable. Family is not just the most important thing; it is the only thing. 鈥�21

Moving home is wonderful right after graduation. You have some time to wind down and evaluate your future without paying rent and without having the huge stressors of living on your own. At some point, if you find yourself feeling miserable, dependent, and socially isolated there, maybe it鈥檚 time for you to move on. 鈥�18

I lived at home for almost a year after graduation before I started my job. Just remember you are not alone, and everyone's post grad life is unique. Comparison is the thief of joy. 鈥�23

Show gratitude toward your parents, especially if you鈥檙e living cheaply or with no rent! Help around the house, buy groceries, etc. 鈥�17

Take this time to save! Once you move out, it gets so much harder to put away money. 鈥�17

听Save money! Think about high yield savings accounts for the money you're saving, investing in ETFs, opening IRAs or 401Ks, etc. 鈥�21

Home will feel different than when you lived there before because you are different. There will be some growing pains. Find places within home that are new and can allow you to build your new adult life. 鈥�22

听

The 国产传媒 Alumni Association is incredible. Through events and other offerings, I鈥檝e stayed in contact with most of my class who live in NYC in addition to meetings dozens of new 鈥橠ores who either graduated before me or went to one of the professional schools. 鈥�16

Regular Zoom calls, FaceTime, SnapChat, sending TikToks back and forth. Basically, whatever we have time for at the time. It鈥檚 absolutely worth the time and effort put into staying connected. 鈥�19

We schedule a biweekly FaceTime to catch up and talk! Also never underestimate the power of just a quick text 鈥渉ello鈥� or a funny meme. 鈥�18

Make time to visit your best friends. 鈥�21

We have a monthly book club! Even though we live all over the US, we still gather monthly to check in and have an academic conversation. I look forward to this gathering every month! 鈥�23

The smallest reach-outs keep you close (an insta message, a photo memory). 鈥�20

My close friends from VU have a Netflix party session once a month and we FaceTime right before we watch the movie. 鈥�16

Virtual sport game viewing parties. 鈥�19

I call my friends and try to plan periodic trips with them. Being in person is so helpful for fostering connections. 鈥�21

Group chats, writing letters, organizing fantasy basketball leagues, and just sending the occasional text from time to time. 鈥�19

Social media, snail mail notes, FaceTime, and reunions every couple of years for those within 2鈥�3 hours. 鈥�18听听听

Have a few people I keep in touch with actively, quality over quantity. 鈥�20

I plan weekend trips with them, and when I travel for work to a town where my VU friends are I make sure to set aside time to see them. 鈥�21

I have a "life update" group chat with some of my former roommates and other friends, where we try to periodically keep each other up to date on our goings-on (and send memes :)). I also try to periodically check in with friends from a student org I was involved in at 国产传媒. But it's totally natural to be more present with friends you make in your post-grad life--try not to feel too guilty! 鈥�23

Frequent calls! 鈥�20

I have been able to keep in touch with dear friends by letter, which has been such a happy experience. 鈥�20

Share weekly highs and lows! Life might get too busy for a regularly scheduled FaceTime, and you鈥檒l probably be all in different time zones, but you鈥檙e never too busy to send a text once a week. Then when you do have time to meet up or call, you鈥檙e still clued in to each other鈥檚 lives, and it鈥檚 so much fun to hear how everyone else is navigating post-grad life. 鈥�21

听听听 To this day, we keep our Secret Santa tradition alive around the holidays and mail gifts to each

听听听 other and open them over a big Zoom call. 鈥�18

Create Facebook or iMessage chats with your different friend groups. Keeping up with a group is easier than keeping up one-on-one, because between everyone in the group, there will always be something going on. 鈥�20

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I created a GroupMe of Vandy in Atlanta people that I knew (2017 grads mainly), and then each of those people added others that they knew. It鈥檚 a great way to have people to do stuff with. 鈥�17

My friends and I formed a group chat where we talk everyday like we used to in college. 鈥�24

Texting is great, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned phone call. 鈥�16

听

Go back to Homecoming together! 鈥�22

听

I live with other 国产传媒 Alumni and pretty much 80% of the people I hang out with in NYC are from 国产传媒. 鈥�24

I chat with my girls every week and we are very intentional about staying in touch whether through planning trips or just a monthly debrief. 鈥�23

Make an effort to go to homecoming your first fall after graduation. You鈥檒l know the most underclassmen and they鈥檒l be so happy to see you again! 鈥�18

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Early on, my friend group used an app that would let us record little podcasts for one another. This was an easy way to stay in touch with each other without the pressure of timely responses while navigating new cities and jobs. Now, we will try to schedule group calls and trips to catch up. 鈥�22

Keep telling your friends happy birthday and wishing them happy holidays. Don鈥檛 forget about them! There鈥檚 Facebook, Snapchat, all kinds of social media to stay connected. 鈥�17

Plan a yearly reunion and pick a new location each year鈥攖hat way you can see everyone鈥檚 new cities! 鈥�17

Make sure you engage with your local alumni chapter as soon as possible! They have fun events and it鈥檚 a great way to reconnect with old friends and make new ones! 鈥�18

My friends and I have kept our old group text messages and snapchats alive. Also, take the time to reach out frequently. Whenever I stumble across something that makes me think of a friend from 国产传媒, I don't hesitate to share it with them and use the opportunity to catch up. Finally, as I am living in Nashville, I have an open-door policy. If any of my 国产传媒 friends are passing through Nashville or want to visit, they are always welcome to crash on my couch! 鈥�18

I visit them every other month. I am also going on a vacation with one of them in January! 鈥�23

Plan trips to visit friends in other cities!!听 鈥�23

I text people but have lost touch with many. I also try to go back to Nashville to visit when I can. 鈥�22

Apps! We all live in different areas, so we use Snapchat, WhatsApp, texting, and most recently Marco Polo to share small life updates with friends. Post graduation, we organized a trip to see each other every six months or so, but that got harder as some people went on to have children. 鈥�21