I Got a Job Before Graduating College, but Struggled in the Real World

As I approached the spring semester of my senior year of college, the realization that this journey of college would soon be ending sank in.

It was time to start turning in my textbooks, submit my senior thesis, and say goodbye to the life I’d known for the past four years.

It also meant I needed to find a full-time job. I was extremely fortunate that I did not have to search for a full-time job because former employers offered me a position in March of my senior year.

I had worked at the company before and was offered a management position in social media and marketing. It was everything I was looking for in my first real job.

I thought I had a leg up because I didn’t have to jump into the dreaded post-college job search. Yet, little did I know that I wasn’t prepared for the real world after college.

I wasn’t prepared to let my college life go

I vividly remember crying with my best friend outside our rundown, half-painted apartment in Newport, Rhode Island.

We were headed back home to live with our parents to save money, and I was starting my full-time job in just under a week.

I cried the whole car ride home, realizing the best days of my life thus far were over.

This transition into a new job was nothing short of easy.

Instead of living in the room next door, my friends were suddenly tens of miles away, with packed schedules, working 40 hours a week, and trying to find a weekend that works for everyone.

In college, long weekends, social freedom, and flexible schedules defined my weekly routine.

Of course, I worked hard to pursue a career in my dream field, but college allowed me extra time to go on trips during spring break, relax on the beach during the summer, and spend holidays making memories with my family.

Now, I use my calendar not only for work but also for my social life, penciling in get-togethers with friends on nights after a long day at work. The weekends go by way too quickly.

I also didn’t understand how PTO, retirement, and taxes worked

When I first started my full-time job, I wasn’t prepared for the real world I had to face.

Suddenly, I had to plan out my paid time off months in advance. I was also faced with taxes, retirement planning, and paying off student loans — all foreign to me. I was quite clueless and had to navigate it all on my own.

Maybe I needed a crash course, but no one prepared me for how much to deduct from my paycheck for a retirement plan, let alone what that looks like.

How do student loans come into play, and what does an interest rate look like?

Luckily, parents and a quick Google search can help, but going into signing a W-9 without knowing exactly what documents you need to file taxes can be quite stressful.

I’m still learning to adjust to my new postgrad life

Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. But I would go back to college in a heartbeat if afforded the opportunity.

People might say, “Get over it. It’s a part of life. College is over; grow up. You’re going to work for another 40-plus years until you can retire.”

Yet, that minimizes my grief. I’m mourning my college life and adjusting to this abrupt transition. I just wish I was better prepared for it.