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Did college really prepare me for the Real World? No. Did college prepare me for my job? No. I know that if my parents, who – thankfully – funded my college education, just read that, they’re probably pretty sick to their stomachs right now but it really is true.

Don’t get me wrong, college wasn’t a waste by any means. Without my diploma, I never would have gotten the job I did (I know because my boss has told me that, point blank) so that alone makes it worth it. I did also cultivate many life skills while at school (living off-campus my senior year, I taught myself how to cook, for instance), as well as leadership experience, socialization skills, and plenty of resume-building experiences. But college itself (I’m talking about classes) did virtually nothing to prepare me for what was to come.

It might be largely because of my majors (Communications & film double-major), which were very “liberal arts” majors and not very applicable; who knows, if I had been a business major, for instance, I might not be writing this now. But, as it turned out, what I learned in class has proven very ineffective. Therefore, I’ve had to teach myself most everything I know about the two ways I make money — my day-job and blogging — and managing the money I do have. While this has been very enlightening, it’s also been very time consuming and has made the Real World transition that much harder.

What can you do to not fall into the same trap?

1. If you’re still in school (and aren’t a business major), take some business courses. While Art History and Existentialism were certainly fun courses, they didn’t teach me a whole lot about the corporate world (well, Existentialism might have, but that’s a topic for another post…). If I could do it all over again, I definitely would have taken more business, marketing economics & personal finance courses in college. While I have begun to teach myself as much as I can about these topics, it would have been hugely helpful if I had known some of these things ahead of time.
2. Start preparing early. Along the same lines as number one; if you cannot take any more classes, at least begin to prepare yourself for what you’ll have to go through after college as early as possible. Read books about what a Real World job is like, set as much money aside in a high-yield savings account as you can to cover unexpected expenses associated with starting your life anew (rather than having to put them on a credit card like I did) and start looking for apartments in your new city as early as you can. This way you’re not stuck somewhere you don’t want to be because you had to move by a certain date and hadn’t planned enough ahead of time.
3. Network. The number one thing that can save you from being ill prepared is networking; both professionally and personally. From a professional stand-point networking is vital for getting a job. Did you have an internship last summer? Make sure and call your boss; even if he or she cannot offer you a job, maybe they know someone who can (I’m now working full-time for the company I interned with during the summer between my junior & senior year and got the job by making a phone call before graduation).Or maybe some old family friend is hiring, or knows someone who is. The point is – cover all your bases. Send emails, make phone calls – connect with every adult in your life you’re on a first-name basis with (or heck, connect with the ones you barely know); you never know where that vital connection can come from.From a personal stand-point, networking is also important. Connect with peers you know who are already in the town you’re moving to. They’ll be able to show you the best places to go out, the best deals in town and the best ways to save money. They’ll be able to offer Real World advice because they’ve already been through the trials & tribulations. And maybe they’ll even be looking for a new roommate. Again, you’ll never know until you make the phone call or send the IM.

What have you done to avoid the “Liberal Arts Trap”? Please, share your wisdom!

(image via www.epartyunlimited.com)

Technorati Tags: Real World, College, Graduation, Business, Networking

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