4 things they don't tell you about post-grad life

01. the world owes you nothing.

i won't get into the concept of degrees being a less-than-valuable commodity these days, or which degrees "guarantee" you a job and which don't. fact of the matter is, you aren't owed a single thing by having a degree or going to college. accept that your hard work and determination will make you stand out. your degree isn't a ticket. don't treat it like one.

02. the whole going out on a monday thing doesn't stop. or on a tuesday. or wednesday. or thursday. or ohhhh wait its friday and we're going out again.

maybe this stops after you're in you're 40's? who knows. but people still go out to the bars during the week & work 9-5 jobs. oh yeah. and it's up to you to decide how much of your sanity & health you're willing to sacrifice to continue to keep up. at the ripe age of 23, i've given up. i'd rather put on cuticle oil and do yoga on a tuesday night. grandma status.

03. it's ok if you have "no idea what you're doing".

pssst... this is a secret... but nobody knows what they're doing. college doesn't teach you how to be yourself or how to make the choices that ultimately decide where your life goes. embrace your gut feeling, do what feels right for you & your career, and just go with. everybody is just going with it.

04. your perspective is the most imperative mental component of your everyday life.

i realize that many people have circumstances out of their control and hinder them from developing a positive perspective. this part isn't about ignoring your reality, mental health or financial situations to just "put on a happy face". aside from those issues, this is about remembering to be grateful, accepting that your life is what you make it, and that the endless buzzfeed lists about lost & confused 20 something's are completely out of control and cliched. you aren't a lost soul if you're trying to decide where to go to grad school or what wine to buy - you're a fortunate, competent young adult. stop with the buzzfeed lists & social media whining. you're going to be just fine.

this is a blog series on college post-grad life. click here to navigate to the list of posts in the series. 

post grad tales: cooking

did you make it through college without having to cook? if so, congratulations. i don't know how you did it, and frankly, i'm impressed.

being comfortable in the kitchen isn't something we've all been bestowed with. for some, growing up involved parents or someone else making food, and kids staying out of it. for others, food and cooking were a natural process. either way, once you're "on your own", so to speak, you've gotta feed yourself, right?

this list is more so targeted to those who have little to zero kitchen experience. i've heard many peers say, "i don't know how to cook, and it's so scary to me!" but i am here to assure you it's not. it only takes a very basic level of familiarity to begin experimenting and eyeballing ingredients.

• try it! fortunately, cooking doesn't get much simpler than that. while some recipes are more daunting, there are tons and tons of resources and simple to follow dishes that can get you started. looking for a quick lunch? try this pasta salad recipe. you don't even have to turn on your oven. start with easy recipes to get comfortable in the kitchen. bookmark or print the ones you enjoy, and begin building your own "cookbook" for future reference.
• invest in a slow cooker. if you don't have one of these, get one. now. i mean it. get up, and go get one. they're as cheap as $15, so most any budget can accommodate one. buy a pack of chicken breasts or pork, cover it in bbq sauce, turn it on 'low' when you leave for work and when you come home, you'll have instant bbq for dinner. slow cooker recipes are simple and endless.
• invite a friend over for dinner. if you don't feel too kitchen savvy, invite a friend over to cook with you. whether this friend is skilled in the kitchen or not, you'll have a great experience bouncing ideas off one another - and laughing about how you have no idea how to tell when pasta is done. the meal could be bleh, it could be delicious, but either way, you're getting yourself kitchen acquainted.
• plan your meals + make a schedule. start off each sunday by deciding what sounds yummy for the week, and pick up the ingredients. if you're just starting out in the kitchen, make it a goal to cook 2 nights a week. if you're cooking for one, each meal should provide leftovers for lunches on other days.

the recipe pictured above is for mandarin orange chicken, found here.

this is a blog series on college post-grad life. click here to navigate to the list of posts in the series. 

post grad tales: fitness + working out

woohoo! my first post in the post grad tales series! you can read more about this series & why i started it by clicking here.

did you stay in shape in college? it came in phases for me that lasted a few months... work out for a few weeks, then fall off the wagon. but now that i'm a real adult (i'll have you know i just filed my own taxes for the first time so, yeah) fitness and staying in shape is an integral part of taking care of myself. if you made it through college without working out, start now. in 5 years, you'll wish you had.

it's not just about being a certain weight, or looking a certain way. it's about health and endurance. if you're fresh out of school and looking for a way to stay active, lose weight, try something new or maintain your current level of fitness - all on the cheap! - check out these options (all of which i have personally tried):

• most obviously, join a gym! if you took the free gym on campus for granted, i am so sorry - i felt this pain too. gym memberships can be expensive, which is why you should do your research. visit a few gyms in your area and find one that can best suit your fitness/financial needs. and, as always, planet fitness is $10 a month. yes, $10. that's the price of a lunch out during the week. you can swing it.
• get hip with the apps! if you have an iOS device, the fitness apps at your disposal are incredible. i've written about yoga studio in one of my past current obsessions posts, and i couldn't recommend it more. if classes are not an option, apps like this are a wonderful alternative. no yoga mat? use a towel. download the app, do a 30 minute yoga session daily, and slowly start building your endurance/flexibility. see? no gym/outrageous pricing required.
• no apps? hit up youtube! there are some fantastic youtube channels full of free workouts. some of my favorites are tone it up & blogilates. when you can get on your laptop and pull up a workout in seconds, you can't use the "but i can't afford a gym!" excuse.
• join a sports league! check out gokickball to see if there's a league in your area. while leagues like this have the added bonus of helping you meet new people, you're also getting some physical activity in. for a season, it costs me $55 - which included a t-shirt. for new friends, a workout and a shirt, i'd say that's not bad.
• no gym, no apps, no sports league? walk! if none of the above are available to you, just get outside. walk. walk anywhere and everywhere. slowly build up to running. there are so many exercises you can do using just your body - google a routine that works for you.

this is a blog series on college post-grad life. click here to navigate to the list of posts in the series.

a new series: post-grad tales

how did this not occur to me sooner?!

having graduated in may of 2013, i've spent (almost) a year on the post grad grind - working my first "real" job, balancing finances, doing my own thing and squeezing in as much fun as possible. (almost) a year is a pretty solid amount of time to learn a thing or two. and while i don't have it all down perfectly (who does?), i've got some tips & tricks to offer those in the same boat as me, or those graduating in may 2014, december 2014 and beyond!

each post will be themed - topics from cooking, finances, etc. - look for them on wednesdays in the next few months! i will come back to this post to link up all future posts in the series. i can't wait to start this series - enjoy!