Getting By When College Ends

What They Forget to Tell You in Colege

Pretty much everybody looks back at college as the best days of their lives. With countless hookups, partying and sports, it's hard to argue that the 4 years of college are the crme de la crme. But what happens when you get out of college? I graduated last summer, moved to a new town, and started my new career. Being a young college grad is no picnic. Let me tell you what you might not realize as you cruise sororities and pong tournaments.

Say goodbye to your friends

When you move to a new town, hundreds of miles away from your comfort zone in college, your friends don't come with you. Sure you can call and text each other, but you can't go out or shoot hoops with them anymore. You can't even go to the Commons for some grub. A college grad is faced with the unenviable task of making new friends. If you get lucky, there may be a few at work that you can stand to be around for more than 5 minutes. But it's more likely that you'll have to branch out, gain confidence, and approach people just to be your friends. It's a lot like the way you approached women you wanted to hook up with in college. Start small, don't try to find a large group of friends right off the bat. Look in the places you attend the most, like the gym or the bar. Join a pickup basketball game, play well, and you'll have 9 new friends almost immediately.

Women are no longer a given

In college, all you had to do was go to a bar and you immediately had choices of chics. When you graduate, it's not so easy to meet girls. In fact, it's hard. For one, you lose your wingman. You're on your own as you approach the hottie across the bar. This requires extreme confidence, and it's ballzy. Have a plan in mind but be ready to adlib if she talks about something you didn't expect. Most importantly, you must be enthusiastic. The one thing I've learned over the years is that no matter how depressed you may be, you must still exude happiness and confidence. Not one girl out there wants to be with a downer. If she thinks you're boring and sad, you've got no chance.

Free time is not the same

Gone are the days when you can go the rec or have some friends over for some beers. You'll need to find new ways to pass the time when you're not at work. I suggest joining a gym. This will keep you busy for at least an hour a day. And it is here that you'll be able to meet friends and women. You might also want to take up a new hobby, perhaps one that will help you with the ladies. Perfect example: In my newfound free time, I began reading up on techniques and tips when giving a massage. I experimented with different strokes and patterns. Now, I'm pretty damn good at it. And in a girl's mind, it's one more thing that can separate me from the pack.

The point of this article is to tell you one thing: do not take college for granted. Enjoy the hell out of it. And while graduating can set you back in terms of personal life, keep your chin up and you'll land on your feet.