It is that time of the year yet again, and for many students, all those countless nights of heavy studying have come to an end! All that hard work and dedication has paid off and that feeling of walking up on stage and receiving that hard-earned diploma is near! Indeed, graduation is an exciting time, but what comes afterwards? While very interesting, it can also be scary to step out of the academic life and into the real world, which is filled with uncertainty.
However, below are some tips that can be used as guidance to help you out a bit and make this transition a bit smoother.
Build your network
Having a diploma is a great first step into the real world, however, you must also make sure to establish a well-rounded network in order to thrive. This means going to as many networking events as possible where you are sure people within your field of interest will be attending. Remember that it is paramount to make a first impression that will make you stand out from the crowd, so take time to work on your icebreakers and body language. Good suggestions to find out about upcoming networking events would be to reach out to the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce!
Start a Savings Account
This may not sound like much fun, but your future self will be highly grateful for it! To be clear, this does not mean that you have to save or invest all of your money. Instead, start by saving at least $10 on a monthly basis, increase it to $20 after a while, and so on. This is a great habit to start forming now and the possibilities of what you can do with your saved money in the future are endless!
Build your own Business
Remember how I said that the possibilities of what you can do with your saved money in the future are endless? Well, this is definitely one of those possibilities! It may sound like a difficult task, but in order to thrive in this ever-changing world, you must start to take risks and capitalize on opportunities! Building your own business is a great way to obtain valuable skills, and who knows, you might have already come up with a million-dollar idea in your head, it is just a matter of bringing it to life!
Look for a Post-Graduate Internship
Many students are in a rush to get hired full-time immediately after graduation, however, it is not always that easy to do so. Many successful companies, both local and global, have their very own paid post-graduate internships that offer excellent benefits and also an opportunity to get hired full-time afterwards! The skills obtained during a post-graduate internship will definitely help you stand out in this competitive environment!
Travel, travel, travel!
The cliché answer is here! Yes, it is true that there are numerous articles out there stating that we all must take advantage of being young and travel while we can. In fact, we read and hear about this so frequently, that it becomes exactly that, a cliché answer! In reality, though, sometimes we must take a break, the last thing we need is to ultimately feel burned out. Travelling can open and expand your mindset, and help you learn about new cultures.
There is no doubt that TRU is a multi-cultured and diverse university, but there is nothing better than to personally learn about other cultures directly in their respective land. The people that you can meet during your travels can have a huge impact on both your personal and professional development, so why not take some time and pamper yourself before entering the real world?
These are just a few tips that can be implemented after graduation. At the end of the day, we all have a different goal. The most important thing is to make sure that we choose a path that will ultimately make us happy and proud of ourselves!
