Today, I have the sincere pleasure of visiting my alma mater JMU for a whirlwind day of speaking. Each semester, I love meeting up with professors from my beloved SCOM (re: PR) department and speaking to Juniors and Seniors on the joys (ish?) of adulthood, as well as simply surviving the real world.
Each time I prepare to speak, I tend to reach out to my friends on Facebook for any sage advice about making it in the real world. As always, my friends and colleagues deliver. Admittedly, I have several pages of quotes on hand but below are the ones that I’m bringing to the ‘Burg with me today. Some you may agree with, and some will surely make you chuckle as you look back on life post-college:
Take advantage of your first few years out of college when you are young and have very few responsibilities–move somewhere new even if it scares you, work abroad, do something outside of your comfort zone that at some point you’ll be too tied down to consider.
Chances are you’ll look back at it very fondly.” ~Rian
Live by yourself at least once. ~Sarah
Get involved in the community around you, and take time to enjoy yourself. ~Mandy
Don’t judge your success by what others are doing. Concentrate on yourself and do what you love. Being happy with who you are and what you do is the best success! ~Maura
Don’t let anyone make you think that you are less of a person because you are not utilizing your degree. If you are happy with what you are doing, that is all that matters. ~Lisa
‘C’ work is acceptable in college, but ‘C’ work in the real world will get you fired. The ‘C’ student is capable of ‘A’ work in the real world!! ~Nina
You may not get the perfect job, or the perfect apartment when you leave college but these things take time. ~Cassie
I would say that it’s never too late to start a new career or do what you really want to do. I have friends who worked a few years and then went to nursing school, law school, med school or grad school. It’s never too late to pursue something new. ~Anne
Find something you want to be like. ~Lauren
Having your own business or being your own boss sounds great, but work for someone for a long while before you take a leap. ~Liliana
I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did! Think I missed something? Be sure to share it in the comments so I can add them on my next Tour de JMU. 🙂
{and yes, that’s me circa 22 years of age at my first real job- working in the city schools of Richmond with Americorps}
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding marketing and wedding pr firm OFD Consulting. She is the exclusive wedding pr columnist to wedding marketing journal WedLock magazine and is a highly sought after speaker in the wedding industry. She loves ruffle table runners and Royal Wedding Tchotchkes. To learn how OFD Consulting can assist you with your wedding marketing and wedding pr, please contact us today.
