Taste Tablet | Advice Column

The purpose of this article was to provide advice to young adults on a current social topic in a personable, conversational tone.

You’ve graduated. It has taken a lot more than a few steps to get up to that stage.  Everything you have experienced up until this point, the innumerable events both academic and social, has gotten you to where you are now.

It’s been rough, it’s been wonderful, and it’s been quite the journey. And you’ll never lose that nostalgic pull for it.

But after all, all good things must come to an end. Though I promise you, this is a special kind of ending; the kind of ending that pushes you towards a new beginning.

So, what’s next?

Once you piece your world together (believe me, you’ll get there) and start the daunting application, interview and hiring processes, you’ll eventually find yourself settling into a whole new world (cue “Little Mermaid” soundtrack).

Of course there will be anxiety in that. Of course you’re going to be scared. Of course you’re going to be overwhelmed. Of course you don’t know what to expect. But take a few deep breaths, and listen in. There are a few positive things you have to remind yourself…

You’ve got game.

You’ve gotten yourself this far. You made it through all levels of schooling prior to college, and what a mess that was – socially, academically and physically (uhh puberty!). But you survived. And you grew, and you learned. And because you got accepted into college, you got real.

You decided what you wanted to study and learned the key traits and skill sets you needed to succeed.

In addition to your epic brain growth, you also grew as a human being. I can guarantee that you are not the same person who moved into your freshman dorm as the person who moved out senior year. All of these things helped to push you into the world you are in now, and you’ll only keep pushing forward.

You’ve earned this.

This company chose you. You earned this.

You qualified on paper and then in person during the interview process. They decided you were the right person to bring into their work force; their work family. This company knows what they need and from their own judgement, believe you can provide it.

You are the right person for this job. So go in there with your head held high.

You’ve just opened a door.

By getting your first job, you are starting to establish yourself in the working world. This is the first of many stepping stones in your career and in your life. You don’t know where it will take you, and that’s the wonder of it all!

You’re going places, you’re adapting, and you’re pressing on. You are on your way to making the transformation from college student to a career-building young adult.

So don’t get discouraged, and don’t expect to be perfect. Just revel in these three truths: you’ve got game, you’ve earned this and you’ve opened a brand new door.

So hold on to these truths and see where the world takes you.