J.S. Loving | Contributing Writer

Let me be the first to say congratulations class of 2015 on your completion of your college degree. It is truly a great feeling knowing that you have officially made it through the gauntlet of classes, finals, and the overall college experience. You have done it and now you are among the rest of us…alumni.

Many of you are probably already itching to get out of Storm Lake and chase after childhood aspirations of your dream jobs, but let me give you a bit of advice on what life actually looks like on the other side of graduation.

Let me be frank, I don’t know everything there is about being an adult. Heck, I am only a year out of school myself, but something that I can tell you that I’ve learned from being out of school, is that I am definitely not in college anymore.

This is my first piece of advice to you recent graduates—you are an adult now, act like it. If you allow yourself to grow from your college ways, I guarantee that people will begin respecting you more, you will potentially eat healthier, and lets be honest, you will save money because you will be too busy to go out every single weekend. So many fall into the trap of keeping to their college life tendencies and in turn fall into the vicious cycle of unhealthy habits, so I urge you to take a step back, reevaluate your habits, and take this summer to grow up.

My second piece of advice is this—If your rate of income increases, your lifestyle should not increase with it. Instead your willingness to give should grow tremendously. If there is one thing that I have learned from being on my own it is that giving has a much deeper impact on someone (yourself included) than constantly buying and increasing your personal luxuries. Your money is your responsibility now—PAY OFF YOUR STUDENT LOANS ASAP, TRUST ME! Your college lifestyle of selfishness (this may not apply to all, but I was among this group myself) should instead turn into a longing to be selfless. Begin giving your time, money, and resources to those around you at your new job, neighborhood, and city. Become the change that you want to see, and people will begin to follow the movement as well.

My third piece of advice is—Priorities. I get it, you have a degree now, you are no longer in college, but honestly you still don’t know much of anything (even if you think you do). When you are given an opportunity to listen, listen intently. When your parents want to spend time with you, make time not excuses. And above all, show love to everyone, no question.

My final piece of advice is this—Read. Yep, that’s it.

Again my friends, I am proud of each of you on your successes in and outside of the classroom. Rejoice in the fact that you have conquered college, and that you are on your way into your next chapter of life. I wish you all the best of luck in your journeys, keep in touch with one another (including your professors), and remember that you can achieve anything if you truly want to. Good luck, God bless, much love.

Sincerely,

J.S. Loving

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons