From my answer in Quora.
I earned an AB, a MBA, and a DBA, so this transition has happened for me three times. Each time the dominant sense, for me, was “I’m in the big blue ocean now and have to figure out how to become self-reliant financially.” The first time, graduating in Japanese Language and Literature, I couldn’t find a job, so I went back and earned an MBA. (There’s a story behind that, but short version is that it was hard work.) After getting my MBA, still couldn’t find a job, so got in my car and drove from Idaho to LA and interviewed international banks, then the same in San Francisco. After interviewing 23 banks, I found a good fit that included a training program. After two years at Wells Fargo SFO, I had become bored so I went back to school and got my doctorate at Harvard Business School and taught there for three years before going to the University of Virginia.
SO, the first thing, again for me, was the very scary feeling of being on my own on the beach with the blue ocean of competition out there and the need to get my finances straight. (Born poor to middle class, self-reliance was a BIG thing for me.) School debts, living expenses, etc. Note: after a large credit card bill came in, I asked my new wife to start keeping track of her expenses and make a budget. Her answer was baffling, “Why would you want to keep track of money I’ve already spent?” True story.
Then, I had to sort out living arrangements. Each time. Where are you going to live? Big deal. Wrong roommates or wrong neighborhood or wrong location—had all of that at one time or another and that was difficult. Rent, furniture, cooking utensils, utilities, etc.
Then, how are you going to take care of yourself without anyone telling you what to do. SOME of that was taken care of in school after leaving home—and when you’ve rented (or bought) your first living place, what are your habits of diet, exercise, sleeping, drinking, smoking, hobbies, relaxation/re-charging etc going to be? YOU decide.
Then, there was the issue of relationships. Again, some people figure this out in college, others (like me) worked through all three degrees and then needed to decide if I wanted to be alone and for how long. That as you may know is a big issue for lots of people. Where do you look? Bars? Churches? Sporting events? Gyms? Work? I had dated a lot and by the time I was working full-time with a terminal degree, I was still alone and not “hitched.” Who will make those choices? Your parents? Your religion? Your instincts? Will you go by initial attraction and/or hard nosed analysis?
Then, there’s the issue of “putting away for the future.” Starting out, it’s difficult to put something aside for the future when you are trying to create a household and all of its attendant costs. AND it’s an important habit to develop right from the start. Future costs will include homes, children, college, retirement and more.
Then, there’s the political issues. Whom to vote for? How to decide? Will I just do what my parents did and/or taught me? What do I think about the issues? What are the key issues? (I recently developed my own list of 23+)
Then, there’s continuing education. Many other answers apparently disliked or hated school and were quick to note no more exams, no more classes, etc. And in a world of rapid change, it’s only the rapid learners who will keep up and succeed. Fortunately, my mother strongly encouraged homework and good grades, and I enjoyed learning, and that continued throughout my career, reading as many as 70 books a year (a lot for some, peanuts to others), constantly trying to sharpen my skills. How does one develop that habit and carve out the time?
SO, like Lewis Takao (hajimemashite) said below, one strives to be a shakaijin, a citizen in society, preferably a net contributor rather than a net taker. Age or graduating are not guarantees. Good citizens, to me, care for the “commons” as much as their own situation. Net takers, net extractors, economic suckers take more than they give. Net contributors always try to clean as they go (no toxic waste), give more than they profit, plan for sustainability, don’t litter, and strive for sustainable profits rather than maximal profits.
BY the way, there’s the issue of “what’s the purpose of life?” I’ve given my answer to that elsewhere in Quora, and that issue begins to seep into one’s consciousness when one begins to think about “now what?”
So, yes, a LOT changes at graduation—and after doing it three times, I’m not eager to do it again (but I would have invested in Apple and Microsoft) given the angst associated with getting solid in the world. For most of us, it doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time. And lots of self-management. And lots of creativity and determination. Those who think carefully, know themselves, can manage themselves, are creative, and determined, they will navigate with some success. At graduation, you may not have the world by the tail, but you have the chance to do so!
OR you just take the first job you can and spend your life doing the same thing over and over again.
I earned an AB, a MBA, and a DBA, so this transition has happened for me three times. Each time the dominant sense, for me, was “I’m in the big blue ocean now and have to figure out how to become self-reliant financially.” The first time, graduating in Japanese Language and Literature, I couldn’t find a job, so I went back and earned an MBA. (There’s a story behind that, but short version is that it was hard work.) After getting my MBA, still couldn’t find a job, so got in my car and drove from Idaho to LA and interviewed international banks, then the same in San Francisco. After interviewing 23 banks, I found a good fit that included a training program. After two years at Wells Fargo SFO, I had become bored so I went back to school and got my doctorate at Harvard Business School and taught there for three years before going to the University of Virginia.
SO, the first thing, again for me, was the very scary feeling of being on my own on the beach with the blue ocean of competition out there and the need to get my finances straight. (Born poor to middle class, self-reliance was a BIG thing for me.) School debts, living expenses, etc. Note: after a large credit card bill came in, I asked my new wife to start keeping track of her expenses and make a budget. Her answer was baffling, “Why would you want to keep track of money I’ve already spent?” True story.
Then, I had to sort out living arrangements. Each time. Where are you going to live? Big deal. Wrong roommates or wrong neighborhood or wrong location—had all of that at one time or another and that was difficult. Rent, furniture, cooking utensils, utilities, etc.
Then, how are you going to take care of yourself without anyone telling you what to do. SOME of that was taken care of in school after leaving home—and when you’ve rented (or bought) your first living place, what are your habits of diet, exercise, sleeping, drinking, smoking, hobbies, relaxation/re-charging etc going to be? YOU decide.
Then, there was the issue of relationships. Again, some people figure this out in college, others (like me) worked through all three degrees and then needed to decide if I wanted to be alone and for how long. That as you may know is a big issue for lots of people. Where do you look? Bars? Churches? Sporting events? Gyms? Work? I had dated a lot and by the time I was working full-time with a terminal degree, I was still alone and not “hitched.” Who will make those choices? Your parents? Your religion? Your instincts? Will you go by initial attraction and/or hard nosed analysis?
Then, there’s the issue of “putting away for the future.” Starting out, it’s difficult to put something aside for the future when you are trying to create a household and all of its attendant costs. AND it’s an important habit to develop right from the start. Future costs will include homes, children, college, retirement and more.
Then, there’s the political issues. Whom to vote for? How to decide? Will I just do what my parents did and/or taught me? What do I think about the issues? What are the key issues? (I recently developed my own list of 23+)
Then, there’s continuing education. Many other answers apparently disliked or hated school and were quick to note no more exams, no more classes, etc. And in a world of rapid change, it’s only the rapid learners who will keep up and succeed. Fortunately, my mother strongly encouraged homework and good grades, and I enjoyed learning, and that continued throughout my career, reading as many as 70 books a year (a lot for some, peanuts to others), constantly trying to sharpen my skills. How does one develop that habit and carve out the time?
SO, like Lewis Takao (hajimemashite) said below, one strives to be a shakaijin, a citizen in society, preferably a net contributor rather than a net taker. Age or graduating are not guarantees. Good citizens, to me, care for the “commons” as much as their own situation. Net takers, net extractors, economic suckers take more than they give. Net contributors always try to clean as they go (no toxic waste), give more than they profit, plan for sustainability, don’t litter, and strive for sustainable profits rather than maximal profits.
BY the way, there’s the issue of “what’s the purpose of life?” I’ve given my answer to that elsewhere in Quora, and that issue begins to seep into one’s consciousness when one begins to think about “now what?”
So, yes, a LOT changes at graduation—and after doing it three times, I’m not eager to do it again (but I would have invested in Apple and Microsoft) given the angst associated with getting solid in the world. For most of us, it doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time. And lots of self-management. And lots of creativity and determination. Those who think carefully, know themselves, can manage themselves, are creative, and determined, they will navigate with some success. At graduation, you may not have the world by the tail, but you have the chance to do so!
OR you just take the first job you can and spend your life doing the same thing over and over again.
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