How to adapt to life after college

(Excerpted)
You've been in school for the majority of your life. What will your life be like now, after college?

The transition from college student to working professional affects almost all aspects of your life. Not only will you have to adapt at work, but you will also have to adapt to your new life outside of work. After graduating from college, you may find it difficult to progress into the "real world." Here are some tips to help you out.

Make new friends. After graduation, you and your college friends will probably disperse to other states in order to pursue careers. Eventually, you may lose touch with even your closest of friends. If this happens, it is imperative that you build new relationships. Make friends with people you work with or get involved with your community in order to meet new people.

Say goodbye to your copious free time. In college, it is easy to schedule classes only two or three days a week so you can have days off. However, once you have that full-time job, your days off will be few and far between. If you're lucky, you'll get two weeks of vacation at your first job. Use those two weeks to reenergize. Spend your weekends wisely too. You will find that Saturdays and Sundays will become more precious than ever.

Set goals. Even though you have reached your goal of obtaining a college degree, you still have many more goals to achieve. What do you want to do with your professional life? Do you want to climb the corporate ladder or own your own business? What about your personal life? Do you want to buy a house? Do you see kids in your future? Think hard about the goals that you want and strive every day to achieve them.

Change sleeping habits. Once you enter the "real world," there will be no more staying up until six in the morning. Six o’clock will more than likely be the time you have to get up and get ready for work. Say goodbye to nap time too. With a forty-hour work week, you won't get to take five-hour naps anymore. Try to go to bed at a decent hour so you will be refreshed for work. You should get at least eight hours of sleep per night.

Purchase work attire. Transitioning from a college student to a working professional means trading in those jeans and sneakers for skirts and ties. If you want to be seen as a professional, you have to look the part. Save the t-shirts for the weekend and invest in a business appropriate wardrobe to wear through the week.

Find a place to crash. Do you know where you are going to live after graduation?

Learn to manage your finances. As soon as you land a job, look at the ways for saving money. This will allow you to plan a sound retirement as well as teach you how to save money. You will also need to budget wisely. If you are low on cash for the month and your rent or mortgage is due, don't buy those shoes you have been eyeing. Wait until you can afford them. Furthermore, if you use credit cards on a regular basis, try to pay off the balance in full each month. Once you are in debt, it takes a lot of will power to get out of it.

Be prepared for entry-level jobs. Even though you have a college degree, don't expect to have the perfect job and bring in a huge paycheck. A large number of the jobs available to new grads are entry-level. These jobs often require long hours, low pay, and hard work. Most employers want to see all employees start at a certain level in order to better understand the business. Working hard at this entry-level job will show your employer that you are dedicated and thus open up new doors for you.

Network wisely. As you transition from college life to corporate world, don't overlook important associations that can contribute to your professional advancement. Stay in contact with old professors, friends, or family members who have connections with people in major corporations and organizations. These people should let you know when they are aware of opportunities that could benefit you.

Knowing what to expect after graduation and following some of these guidelines should help launch your post college life on a positive note. The transition into the "real world" may be shocking at first, but you will become acclimated to it after a while. Good luck!