[Dan in PA]

Originally Posted by Comet

And you'll be using this van when you're living in a van down by the river!!!

On a serious note, I didn't buy a van (a 335i, actually), and don't even drink never mind do drugs.

[Cyrax91]

Hang out with high school chicks until you're 35 then kill yourself.

[euromoda84]

It all depends on what you do. As for me I liked school to much and wasn't happy with the options I had when I graduated so I'm going back! haha I start Law School in Aug.

Good luck to you man and congrats on graduating.

[BMW2006]

Meh, in some ways it's way better than college, in some ways it's worse. Corporate life has it's pitfalls, you just need to learn to let things go. When you're young and out to take on the world it can seem really unfair. After your first promotion that was given to someone else, after your first unfair review or after your first fair one you just aren't ready to come to terms with, the first person who steps on your back to get ahead of you, and after a few doses of some real, real life (death or sickness in family, losing job, tough break up etc...) you will get angry, it will be difficult to accept some things just kind of happen that are wholly unfair.

You now have your degree, you excelled (or skirted by) your studies, so that should equal success right? Not always and not immediately. Be prepared to take a job that completely sucks. Sucks in hours, sucks in pay, sucks in benefits and time off, and sucks in power/prestige etc. You will be doing a lot of shit that other people do not want to do, at least you should be if you want to move up and onward.

Unless you were one of the lucky people who got an allowance through college (not knocking it, I wouldn't pass it up either, I had to carry a job through school), you had lots of time, and little money in college. Now you will have more money, but a lot less time.

Immediately after college, little changed. We still went out to clubs, we still drank, we still did stupid things and tried to sleep with just about every girl we met. About 5 years out, the suckers who decided to get married and have kids kind of vanished, as they should.

Then about 7-8 years out the single people still hung out and did most of the basic things they always did, but had purchased their first property, earned themselves a couple promotions etc...

And finally about 10 years out (where I am) everyone is really, really busy. If you're single you're at a critical point in your career, where you should be looking to move into the positions/areas that will come with decent pay, benefits, etc... etc... If you're married with kids you get about 1 hour a week of free time for yourself as your kids (and wife) constantly dictate just about everything you do outside of work. This will change eventually, but right now it's necessary to hold things together.

If you're single (I am) it does become really hard to meet women outside of work etc... something else changes. Unless you're gearing up to be some kind of pedophile, girls that you once drooled over just start to look kinda young and immature. There are many women I come across now that once I start talking to them I lose interest very quickly. You just won't relate to college women anymore beyond a very superficial level (i.e. I'd bang her). You are thinking about your 401k, retirement funds, pension, salary, next career move, acquiring assets etc... and she's complaining about paying her first cable bill and how annoying her roommate is. You just won't reach a common ground.

Personally I've never been happier. Yeah the belly starts to grow out unless you keep up a rigorous exercise routine, and the hairline starts receding/thinning out, but I now have more time and more money to do the things that I want, and more time off to spend the money I'm earning now (now I don't think about the greens fees and my budget as much as playing somewhere new or prestigious when making golf plans).

At some point it's all supposed to make sense though, right? 8)


-BMW2006

[Kroy]

^ Thanks for your perspective. Doesn't sound so bad being 10 years out. A little adjustment maybe.

[Dan in PA]

Originally Posted by dpavlakos91

Hang out with high school chicks until you're 35 then kill yourself.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by wj4

It's funny because I almost cried after my HS graduation. My team and I were pretty tight. We had classes together, hung out together, had lunches together. And I realized that there would be no more of that.

After I got my B.S., my mom, my friends, and I dashed out to grub because I was pretty hungry. Graduating from college didn't touch me too much, emotional wise.

The first day I stepped on a college campus, the atmosphere was COMPLETELY different.

I found some of the HS friends through social websites through out the last several years and for most of them, we grew apart. I no longer have much in common with those who didn't go to college.

As for girls, I'm totally convinced that you can pull a fair share amount of chicks regardless of how you look, as long as you can talk. The way I see it, if you don't approach them at all, you have 0% at succeeding. If you approach them, you at least have a chance, even if it's really low.

I hang out at the local Starbucks pretty often, from doing my grad work to now studying for the GMAT. I've gotten 3-4 numbers from girls who I found to be interested in. Although nothing serious sprung up (since I'm not ready for anything now), they became pretty good friends.

This is life, man. It's going to be rare as hell to keep a friend for a lifetime. You or they may move away due to job relocation or whatever else. You just have to adapt. I personally like meeting new people.

Agreed with pretty much everything you said. When I graduated the guest speaker said that she's giving each of us a car. It is up to us where we drive to. As long as we are the driver we have control over what we can do in life.

As for girls, you must be confident and just go for it. At least when you try, whether you fail or succeed, you know you've gave it your best. Actually that goes for pretty much everything in life. I've learned (and reaffirmed by Nick Vujicic?- the guy with no arms and no legs) that life is not about specific moments- it's also about the journey there. When I was a kid we went on trips a lot. Usually people enjoy the destination and forget about everything else. For me, I actually enjoy the "getting there" part as well as the final destination.

Life is about new beginnings. Take it in stride and try to enjoy the little things in it. Anyhow, you could always go back to school so it's not the end.

[gtrokin330]

Originally Posted by number335

don't worry, you can still hang out with your friends on facebook

lmao