The Truth About Life After College

Since the very beginning of our educational careers, we've been told that the final goal is graduating from college. We have to get to that final proud day where we march across the stage, take our diploma and smile back at our families. What they don't tell you is that you have debt, uncertainty and confusion trailing behind you. I graduated from college with just under $23,000 in student loan debt. When I look at that number, I choke a little, but I consider myself lucky. I have several relatives who are well into their 40s and still paying off their student loans that had surpassed $50,000 before they entered their last semester. Someone should have warned me that the congratulations and the feeling of accomplishment wouldn't even last until I got my actual diploma in the mail. Here are some bubble bursting truths about the common myths of life after college.

1. The world is your oyster.
This is the statement that annoyed me the most. Even before reality gave me a cold, hard kick in the tush, I knew the real world wasn't going to be very nice. Graduating from college means you have a decent education, a head on your shoulders and SOME life experience. It does not mean you're ready to be thrown into a random city with no friends, no family and a couple of hundred dollars in your pocket. Nowadays an undergraduate degree doesn't even mean that you will make above minimum wage.

2. You can't party like that anymore...you're an adult.
Oh shut up party pooper! I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you managed to graduate from college without any alcohol related charges, then you should be able to continue to party the same way you did in college. Only now, you should definitely try to cut back on drinking during the week. Work isn't a class you can show up to for an hour, then go back to your dorm room and finish sleeping your hangover off.