Life After Graduation

10 Things Every Graduate Should Know

You're excited about graduation, but you're worried about your life after the speeches are said and the caps are thrown. Will you discover your true passion? What about failure and success? And how will you say goodbye to people you are leaving behind?

Here are 10 answers to the 10 most common questions every graduate thinks about and struggles with each year. Whether you are a high school graduate leaving for college or an undergrad choosing between grad school and a career, the advice here will apply to everyone's future path.

Read the first answer to the first question every graduate should know.

Text reprinted from 100 Answers to 100 Questions Every Graduate Should Know by Lila Empson and Jayce O'Neal, with permission of Strang Communications. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Are You Taking Time to Cherish Memories?

If you do not take time to think about past memories, they can become fuzzy and sometimes forgotten altogether. Here are guidelines to help you remember important memories:

Three favorite memories. Pinpoint the three favorite memories you have of school years. There will be tough times ahead, but remembering these types of things can give a boost when spirits are low.

One humbling moment. There are times when you succeed and others hold you in high esteem. Remember a moment that helps keep you grounded.

Three important people. It is vital to acknowledge those who touched your life. You can save yourself a lot of pain by watching and learning from others.

One infamous person. There are also people from whom you learn what not to do. Learning from the mistakes of others can save you much time and pain.

What Are You Passionate About?

Finding and doing what you are passionate about gives you power to handle other aspects of your life. Remember the mnemonic P-O-W-E-R.

Passion. Identify your passion. Whatever it is, discover it.

Opportunity. Look for ways to do the things for which you have a passion. See where you can do the things that reenergize you.

Will. Will yourself to be attentive to those activities that give you that extra boost. When you plug into the passions of your life, you have even more energy for the areas of your life that are less exciting.

Energize. Energize those around you to do the things for which you have a passion. Use your renewed hope and fire to encourage those around you.

Relish. Relish the time you have in the areas that recharge you. When you take time to appreciate your passions, it helps build a reserve for times that can be draining.

How Do You Keep Hope Alive?

Sometimes you have to set your stuff aside and look beyond your personal letdowns. In order to keep hope alive, you must be O-T-H-E-R focused.

Optimism. Stay positive no matter what. Keep a good attitude about your situation and about others.

Talk affirmatively. Convey to others words of affirmation. Positive words from you can make a major difference in the life of someone else.

Help others. Help other people pursue their dreams. Invest in the people around you, and help them get a leg up.

Express availability. Express to those around you that you are open and available if they need you.

Resist negativity. Resist worrying about what you do not have, and instead be thankful for what you do have.

How Can Your Past Make a Better Future?

If you are like the majority of people, you have probably made some mistakes along the way. Many times the tough stuff can better your future. Here are a few ways that your past can better your future:

Wisdom. Experience should breed wisdom. By making mistakes you learn how not to do things.

Motivation. Challenging circumstances can build strength. Do not let difficulties stop you; let them make you stronger.

Identify. Your story gives you credibility. Your cannot fully understand some things in life unless you go through them personally. Your experience may be the very thing that allows you to connect with a person no one else can reach. Your future may be better because you help make someone else’s future better, too.

How Do You Accept Criticism?

Even when someone means for criticism to be constructive, you can still feel put down. Everyone has blind spots, so it is important that you listen to the people who take the time to invest in your personal development. The key to growing from negative feedback is knowing how to accept it.

Follow 4 don’ts for accepting feedback:
• Don’t take issue with something the speaker says, tune out, or think of a snappy response. This illustrates that you are defensive and not open to what the speaker has to say.
• Don’t react with negative expressions by rolling your eyes.
• Don’t shift blame to others.
• Don’t make excuses.

Follow 4 do’s for accepting feedback:
• Be positive and intentional. Looking into the person’s eyes and nodding your head indicate that you are listening.
• Allow the speaker to finish before talking.
• Ask questions to clarify what the person said.
• Thank the individual for taking the time to talk to you, and say that you will consider it.

When Is It Time to Try Something New?

Giving up is losing hope; changing focus is taking advantage of opportunities right in front of you. If you do not know when it is a good time to make a change, here are some suggestions:

Five-year plan. It is important to give any plan at least five years to be established. If you cannot invest that amount of time, you might not want to try it. If after five years you have tried everything and there is little to no progress, you might want to consider something new.

Other interests. Be aware of other interests that present themselves during this five-year time. If nothing has taken off in your original plan, have a backup plan.

Life changes. Life will change, and when it does, you decisions will change. Do not view investing in family as failure in other areas of life. By having a strong, committed, and loving family, you accomplish something that many never do.

How Do You Say Goodbye?

You want your goodbye to be memorable in a positive way. When you and others look back at your good-byes, let it be with joy and love. Here are some guidelines to help you say goodbye:

Say goodbye. Some people do not like saying goodbye. It can often be difficult to say, but if you do not say it, you are robbing others a sense of closure. While saying good-bye might not ease the pain of letting go, not saying good-bye makes it more difficult.

Finish strong. If you know change is around the corner, do not drop your responsibilities. Finish what you have started, and do your best work. If you finish strong, you set yourself up for a strong start in the next phase of life.

Acknowledge your inner circle. You may have a lot of people to say good-bye to, but give special time to those closest to you. Let them know how much they mean to you.