Now being in my late-twenties (ekk), I find myself constantly reflecting and discussing with friends the things I wish I would have known about my early twenties before entering the “real world.” Take a deep breath and read my ten brutally honest but important things to know as you embark on this next phase of life.

1. You won’t get an A+ on every real life assignment. You will probably stink at your first job. That is normal. You are transitioning from a life of classes, studying and loads of free time to sitting at a desk and being in one place for an eight hour period of time. New things will be thrown your way left and right and trying to absorb all that information takes time and is overwhelming.  Focus on doing your best, showing up on time and being as prepared as possible but be okay with the fact that you won’t do everything correctly right away.
2. Don’t cry at work. Dovetailing off number one, your boss will most likely be hard on you when you mess up. Don’t go crying in the bathroom every time you receive criticism. You are now an adult, so be one. Actually listen to the mistakes you are making to avoid repeating them in the future.
3. You aren’t the boss. You are at the bottom of the totem pole. While you may have incredible ideas, think you can run the business better than the CEO and think you know a direction for the company that you believe will make it 10 times cooler. That is all great but remember your place within the organization. One day you will be head honcho—but today is not that day. Getting coffee might just be a task you have to do once in a while. It totally stinks but do it with a smile on your face and know that one day someone else will be grabbing you a latte.
4. Understand money. Whether you are making minimum wage or a million dollar salary, it’s extremely important to understand your finances and what it means to live on a budget. Start to analyze what your cost of living is so you are well equipped for life post-college. Whatever you are making a savings must be in place. Even if that’s $10 a week. It’s never too early to start a strong foundation for your finances.
5. Relationships matter. Don’t burn bridges. You might think you are only in your twenties and that person you ignored or insulted will never come into your orbit again. Think again. This world is smaller then you realize. Be considerate of others and mindful of how you conduct yourself with others.
6. Life is about a sale. Whatever you decide to do post-college, it will involve some sort of sale. You selling yourself for the position you are seeking. You selling your idea to the company you work for. Sales is an integral part of daily life so understand how to sell, how to handle rejection, humiliation and how to pick yourself back up again.
7. Get comfortable in the unknown. Before entering the real world, you have a pretty set map to follow. You finish one school year, then summer break, then you enter then next school year and repeat. Post-college, the future is absolutely unplanned and a bit gray. Digest that and move forward. Trust me, I love a good plan but life after college is nearly impossible to plan. Rather then fighting against a plan you have scribble in a journal, ride the waves of the new journey you are embarking. Be able to pivot and make changes with obstacles that come your way. You will realize it’s actually more fun that having such a cookie cutter planned life.
8. There is no such thing as an overnight success. It takes years to be an success. Period.
9. Family is important. They are the rock in your life. Friends come and go. Jobs change. But family is there through it all. Don’t forget the importance of this. Call your Mom and Dad more. Tell them I love you randomly. They will fight for you more then anyone else every will.
10. Take care of yourself. Finding time to juggle this new life stage, a full-time job, relationships and responsibilities is exhausting. But don’t neglect yourself. Make yourself a priority. Find time to exercise—even if that is just walking to and from work. Learn a few recipes so you aren’t always tempted to just order in and live off granola bars. And check in with yourself every once in a while. If something is troubling you, try to get to the root of that issue before you let it consume your already busy new life.

STYLE GURU TIP:

Britt Fowler
Former Style Guru