Life After College

For many, the transition to life after college in one’s early 20s, while often full of excitement can also be a time of great stress. Huge changes often happen – finding a job, moving to a new city, purchasing health insurance, budgeting including paying student loans, adopting your first pet, and even perhaps becoming engaged or married – all of which necessitate personal and financial responsibility. But for some of us, life after college is defined even more basically with the questions “Who do I want to be?” and “What do I want to do in my life?”

We wanted to share some websites and resources that you might find interesting as you begin this next phase of your journey:

·         New City? – One of the most common struggles in a new city is making friends. Check to see if your new city has a local alumnae club for your college/university. Join the local Delta Zeta alumnae chapter (http://www.deltazeta.org/Chapter). Check out the continuing education classes at a local community college to find people with similar interests. Volunteer with a local pet shelter or food bank. Join a book club (libraries often have them!). Consider becoming involved with community organizations such as the Junior League, Young Professionals groups, Junior Chamber, Big Brothers Big Sisters, etc. Have another interest? Check out www.meetup.com.

·         Career Websites – In need of some career advice or perhaps just some encouragement? There are tons of websites with great resources. Here are just a few:

o   Life After College - http://www.lifeaftercollege.org

o   Job Jenny - http://www.jobjenny.com/

o   Career Contessa - http://www.careercontessa.com/

·         Levo League – Need some help developing your purpose or exploring options available in your professional journey? Consider utilizing Levo League. Levo operates 30 local leagues across the globe for in-person events and network. But don’t worry if your city isn’t represented. Levo has a very robust digital network including online workshops, webinars and mentors. Check out all their resources at: http://www.levo.com/.

·         Finances – As you set your budget and manage your expenses, consider exploring some online resources available to you such as www.personalcapital.com, www.mint.com or www.learnvest.com. These sites, as well as several other similar sites, are also available in app form for easy use on the go. Be sure to investigate each platform and choose what is best for you.

Turning Point in Your Life 
It is common to compare your current situation in life with those of your friends, family and acquaintances. But always comparing can sometimes result in feelings of inadequacy or jealousy. It is important to recognize that each of us takes an individual journey and we must persevere towards our dreams, however we have defined them. A fun, short read for new graduates that emphasizes this idea is When They Were 22: 100 Famous People at the Turning Point in Their Lives by Brad Dunn. Here are a few tidbits he shares: 

• When she was 22, Jane Goodall quit her job as a secretary, waited tables for 10 months, and saved enough money to visit a friend’s farm in Kenya. Her thirst for zoology impressed an acquaintance who offered her a job studying wild chimpanzees.
• When she was 22, Sandra Day O’Connor, after being frustrated that she was only offered legal secretary positions in the private sector although she had graduated early from Stanford Law School (and third in her class too!), made the decision to enter the public sector. O’Connor accepted a role as a deputy county attorney in San Mateo, California. She discovered an enjoyment for public service which we all know culminated with her becoming the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• When she was 22, Estee Lauder was learning to make facial cream in her uncle’s laboratory. She began selling her products to salons and even while walking on the beach. Within 30 years she had turned her tiny home business into a multimillion dollar cosmetic company.
• When she was 22, Diane Sawyer quit law school. She accepted a job as a “Weather Maiden” and her career in journalism was born. In addition to her weather reporter duties, Sawyer did news reports and was made a full-time reporter within a year.