We've been told since we were young:
Go to college.
Get a degree.
???
Profit and prosper.
Yeah, number 3 is where so many people get hung up, so let's dive into it.
I went to my cousins' graduation not too long ago and listened to 18-year-olds philosophize about the world. College will be an exciting and intimidating time. You're unsure of what to expect, but thrilled to jump into the experience. So, how come so many people with college degrees end up completely lost after they graduate?
The problem with college
Most people don't have a good grasp on college's place in our society, its potential, and what lies beyond it. Some may deny it, but our system is designed to force high school graduates into a position where they must figure out what they want out of life at 18 years old. It's a sink or swim situation. And for those that don't swim right away, they begin to feel stuck, fall behind, and ultimately become disadvantaged in the short and long term.
Unfortunately, this is just the reality of our reality. However, that doesn't mean that you can't figure out a way to combat the post-grad slump.
The degree is a box on their checklist
For a lot of people, getting a degree is just the next step after high school. They aren't thinking about the process; they're just showing up to college and crossing it off like it's something on their to-do list. Don't get me wrong, plenty of students are putting in the work and effort needed to make good grades. But many lose sight of the bigger picture.
They have a basic understanding that getting a degree is a stepping stone toward getting a "high-paying" job. It's one pathway to lead to the next era of your life, as simple as going from fourth grade to fifth.
The issue with this mindset is that it encourages students to wander through college aimlessly and without a strategy, both professionally and socially.
Picture life as one big game, and college is a huge (albeit expensive) benefit that can help you progress in the game. If you don't know how to use that benefit properly in a way that aligns with your values and goals, it can feel like it was a worthless and pointless endeavor.
College is leverage
Having a major does not equal success. Higher education isn't a one-way ticket to a profitable and happy life. A lot of people think it is. They think, "If I can just go to college, get a good degree, meet some of my best friends, and then graduate and be on my merry way, everything will work out in the end exactly how I want it to!"
It sucks, but that just isn't how it works. Instead, it's helpful to think of college as leverage. You have to know how to leverage it in order to get something meaningful out of it.
College offers you two things: knowledge and opportunity. If you go through four years of education and walk away without understanding how to apply and leverage that knowledge and opportunity, you will probably end up feeling lost. It is what you make of it.
What does this all mean?
It means that you have to play by life's rules if you want to be successful. And the rules state that the most successful 18-year-olds have a plan. Don't worry, though. It's not as complicated as you might think.
Let's break it down:
Figure out what you want.
Set goals based on those wants.
Create an action plan.
Execute the plan.
Rinse and repeat.
Heads up: You might think that number 4 is the hardest one to push through. But most people actually get stuck in between numbers 1 and 2.
How to make the most out of your degree
Don't make it harder than it needs to be.
(1) Figure out what you want.
You don't need to know every detail of the next five decades of your life. But you do need to figure out what your most immediate wants are. Keep it simple.
Ex) I want a prosperous career.
(2) Set goals based on those wants.
A lot of people don't know how to do this. Nobody takes this seriously, but... Do you remember SMART goals? Yeah. Do that.
Ex) I want a prosperous career. ➡️ My goal is to secure an internship within the next year.
💡 Pro tip: The more specific your goal is, the better. How do you do this? You go back to Step 1 over, and over, and over again until your goal is more refined.
(3) Create an action plan.
Picture what achieving your goal looks like. If you can't, then you have to do research. Go to Google and just start typing.
Ex) My goal is to secure an internship within the next year. ➡️ The first step is to go on LinkedIn, and look at internship listings that are relevant to me.
(4) Execute the plan.
In order to be successful, you're probably going to have to jump back and forth between this step and the previous one for a while. You might attempt to execute the plan, and then realize that there are little "side quests" you have to complete before you can finish executing that plan.
Ex) The first step is to go on LinkedIn, and look at internship listings that are relevant to me. ➡️ Side quest 1: Turns out, you need to create a resume. ➡️ Side quest 2: You also need to write a cover letter for each internship application.
It's OK if you don't get it right the first time. College is all about trial and error, because life is all about trial and error. Just go out and do the thing. Nike isn't lying when they say Just do it.
(5) Rinse and repeat.
You can choose to expand on a goal you've already set and reached, or you can create a new goal entirely. This framework doesn't have to apply to just a professional setting. You can use it to make friends, make money, or develop a new skill or hobby.
Whatever happens, just stick to the basics. What do you want in your life? Not what you would have wanted if X had happened, or what you think you will want in the future. What do you want in your life right now?
Answer that, and you'll usually find yourself on the track to success.
