Three Things I Plan on Doing After College

Last week, I wrote about three things I wish i did before college. This week, I decided to kind of stick with the trend and write about three things I am looking forward to doing after college. I think the future is pretty scary. You never really know what path your life is going to take or where you're going to end up. However, I definitely feel like if you have things you are looking forward to, it makes it a little bit earlier to look ahead. I definitely want to do the three things I wish I did before college after college but I also feel like I am going to be 22 years old so I am going to want to do some other things to. I think right after college is going to the be one of the most stressful but free times of my life. I am going to have all these new responsibilities but I am also going to have the freedom to take better control of my life. Already so here are three things I plan on doing after college.

1. Living Somewhere I've Never Lived Before: I've lived in five different countries through out my life but I can really only remember three of them. After college, I want to move to a place where I don't know anyone. This is definitely scary but I feel like living in a new city can lead so much growth and exploration. There is nothing more challenging than finding a new place to fit in. Also, exploring a new city is so exciting. I definitely can see myself living in Europe for a little bit or moving out to the west coast. Right after college, I could look for a job where ever I want. I know a lot of people get homesick but I don't think I never really get homesick. I certainly get family sick but my family has always lived all over the place. I really want to go live in London or move to California, it would be such a different experience than living in Jersey.

2. Start A Career Path I Enjoy: You should start everything in life of on a good foot and a career is no different. I feel like a lot of college graduates take the first job that they are given which I get. Times are hard and loans are expensive but I feel like you should do something you enjoy. I don't want to get stuck at an office job that I hate. I don't want to sit behind a desk all my life. I want to find a path that makes me excited to wake up in the morning. Your first job kind of sets the mood for the rest of your career and you definitely want it to be a good start.

3. Keep In Touch: You never know where your life will take you after college. You also don't know where your friends are going to end. I definitely feel like the first year or so after college really tests who your true friends are. You no longer live with your friends and you definitely don't see them everyday. I think it is going to be hard to keep in touch but definitely worth it for the better with the people who actually improve your life. It is also the time to let go of all the toxic friendships.

So here are a few of my goals post college. What are you looking forward to?

Three Things I Wish I Did Before College

I am now officially two weeks into my junior year of college. I am also 151 days away from being twenty one which does nothing more than make me feel extremely old. These last two years have literally flashed before my eyes. I remember buying my bedding for my dorm room and trying to figure out how I am going to bring all my heels to college since you know I thought I would wear them out all the time. Well now, I rarely have time to make my bed and  I really only wear two pairs of shoes out and about: my "frat" flip flops and my "frat" boots. It's weird to think that I am more than half way done with what people like to say are the best four years of your life. Don't get me wrong college has been great but there is definitely some things I wish I did and knew before I came here.

1. Taken a Gap Year: Senior year of high school, I wanted nothing more than to pack my stuff up and go to college. I wish I slowed down and thought about taking some time off to do other stuff. I also wish gap years were a common thing in the states but unfortunately they are only  common  in Europe.  I've traveled a lot in my twenty years but I haven't done a lot of traveling that I have planned for myself. I've been to Europe quite a few times but I wish I went backpacking through New Zealand or on a crazy trip through like 15 European countries. Traveling definitely helps shape you and I also think it would've given me more time to figure out what I want to do with life. After college I am going to nearly 50 thousand dollars in debt just like most college graduates. That definitely will not be the time to pack up my stuff and go explore.

2. Read More:  "oh, I've finished all my readings for the week." said no college student ever. There aren't enough hours in the day or week for you to get all your reading done. This is just a simple fact of college. You will be assigned articles on articles and you will feel like your brain is going to explode. In the last two years, summer time has been the only time I've read books I actually want to read. It is just impossible to pick up a book for enjoyable reading when you have so much assigned reading. I've always thought of myself as a reader but I still wish I read more books in high school. I wish I found a genre I really loved or an author whose writing moved me.

3.  Checked More Things Off My Bucket List: Everyone has those things they really want to do. It could be something as simple as seeing your favorite band in concert (done that) or as crazy as throwing a pin at a map and driving where ever it lands (still on the list). I wish I took the time to accomplish more things on it because coming to college. I feel like I haven't had a lot of free time in college. I've spend my falls, winters and springs studying and my summers working so I'd have money for stuff during school. Yes, I have done things! Don't get me wrong I've haven't been studying on my butt this whole time but I wish I went on a crazy road trip the summer before college or went to city and pretended to be a tourist. I know I will definitely check everything off my bucket list in due time but I wish I've given myself a bit more of a head start.

There are definitely more things I wish I did before college but I feel like these are the main three. College has been great and as terrifying it is to think that I graduate in two year and have to enter the real world, I can't wait to see where the next two years take me. At the very least, I plan on checking more things off my bucket list, traveling and reading.