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This is it. FINALLY I AM FINISHED!!! You feel good, you look good, and most of all, you are ready to conquer the world. Nothing can stop you because you did exactly what they said to do. Get an education and life is golden! Well, honey, I'm here to set a few things straight because they left out some pieces. They left out the struggle 30's honey!! People have sold us on a dream and have not given all the facts, so I think it's time to have a discussion about it. Four things that they didn't tell you about life after college. Ready!!!
1. Simply put you may not graduate making a billion dollars.
The fact is that even with a college degree you can be living under poverty lines. You may work a 9 to 5 plus overtime and still be just barely maintaining a household, and that's just the household expenses. Doesn’t include student loans. Graduating from college does not automatically mean you will all of a sudden be a millionaire. In fact, you may not even fit in the working class economic status. I know, heart wrenching, right!!! It is important to know that not every degree is created equal. Depending on the major will depend on your potential income earning. Example: people in the medical field can come out making 80 plus thousand but that is not the same for someone in social sciences. There is a certain cap for the minimum and maximum amount that will be paid for a particular position. This can vary sometimes from a particular area or company, but the rate typically is the same in surrounding areas. So, let's use Social Work for an example. The cap in Maryland may average to about 60-65 thousand per year, which does not appear that bad at first, but for a MSW (a non-licensed social worker) the starting rate may be between 38 - 43 thousand a year. Well, depending on where you stay, that doesn't work in your favor. I live in the DMV. Maryland is the 7th most expensive place to live. The average cost of living in Maryland is 73 thousand dollars per year. Not to mention Maryland is collecting their coin both federal and state tax. It's not a game. For a MSW, you are coming up short because in my area it was challenging to find employment in my field without a license. Some states have different regulations, you might luck up and not hit these types of challenges, which is great, but the moral of the story is people are out here struggling to make ends meet on a less than livable wage from a Master's degree.
2. FIND A HUSTLE! No you may not be able to work just one job.
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you're going to have to find a hustle. Maybe it's braiding hair on the side, starting a business, or just finding a part time job at McDonalds. It's temporary if you want it to be. I am choosing to start my own business. It's Slayed Apparel (shameless plug), and eventually the prayer is that my hustle becomes my career. I started my school journey going to cosmetology because I knew this would be something I could always tap into. I don't care if I have to pull a lawn chair out the trunk and set up shop on the corner, I can make an income with this skill. Whatever it is, be ok with the temporary hustle. It is a means to an end. Now, this may take some pride checking because you have worked hard and earned this degree, but at the moment, it is not working for you. Get that part time hustle on while you are waiting for that position to become open or you get your credentials together. For some, they just may not have the temperament to work in a field that is not their own or do something that they feel is beneath them, and that is ok, but have a solid game plan for how you will maintain.
3. Be ok with humble beginnings
Greatness takes time. I used to always tell my friend this and I thought I had paid my dues. I'd given my time in school. Shoot, school wasn't easy. Your girl is intelligent, but I worked hard for them A's and B's AND that C I got in research methods and statistics. Sis didn't get here by pulling up to class an hour before the test to read the chapter and acing it. Even still, I am realizing that at every level there are humble beginnings. Time must be spent in the development stage. Why this stage always looks like the taking the L stage or flat out failed in life I don't know, but we see evidence of people that have struggled in the development stage and came out solid gold. Your life is like a slingshot. You get pulled back and stretched to discomfort, but when you are released, you will propel further than you ever expected. I attended Sarah Jakes Roberts Women Evolve conference (it was amazing, by the way) and a speaker said dreamers embrace the life of being stretched. Why, Lord???? Haven't I been stretched enough? There won't be anything else to stretch in a min. Can we pick a new dream then because this is insane, Jesus. Another point this speaker gave was to remember that this dream isn't for you. I also have been told that your testimony isn't for you. So yes, you may go through a tough humble beginning, but the blessing you will be when you start that business or take on that new position will be remarkable. Hang in there for the gold.
4. Have a strong circle of support
Lastly, you have to surround yourself with people that are doing things. It is cool to have the turn up friends, but when it is all said and done, you need the friends that will challenge, hold you accountable, and uplift you when you feel like you can't make it. Birds of a feather flock together and we flocking with success PERIOD!!! I have a circle that I talk to when I'm feeling low, inspired and motivated. I remember when I was contemplating going to grad school. On some real stuff, I didn't really want to go back, but clearly a BS in psychology wasn't about to make me a billionaire. I had to level up. I was at a party and one of my friends asked me how my grad school search was coming along. I gave her that umm... look because I wasn't really working on it. She basically blasted me. "Ok, so you will be sending your personal statement and essays to me next week, right??" All I could say is sure, and I indeed submitted my statement and essay to her. Had she not held me accountable, I may not be here with a MSW behind my name. It is also important to know that your circle should include someone that cares for your emotional and mental health. Sometimes, friends are not quite enough, so call on your therapist for a mental health check in. If you are the “strong friend,” the one who holds it all together for everyone but never really expresses or releases the stress, hurt and frustration that you deal with on a daily basis, you have to push to put yourself first. Bro/Sis, you are not ok. Talk to a therapist and work it out and get back to slaying. There is absolutely nothing wrong with checking in with your therapist. Job loss and job un-fulfillment can wear you down, and it can hurt. If we are being real, we use anger to express it, but really it's sadness, worry, fear, and maybe even shame. You not being in the place you hoped, wished, and expected can make you feel broken, and the support system you create will help you bounce back and dominate the game. Grieve the loss of the job or even the fact that you are not where you want to be, dust yourself off, and refocus. Slay in your lane and keep pushing.
There you have it: the four things they didn't tell us. They really made life seem like it was so simple and easy. Like my college degree automatically brought me wealth and success. Well, they forgot to mention some important details about the struggle to success, and I just thought you should know. If you have attended school, I am sure you can totally relate, and hopefully for people who will be attending school this will help give you better insight on how to rock your journey. Whatever you choose, just embrace your slayage while you are doing it. Peace and blessings until next time.
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