Transitioning From Student To Young Professional

If you find yourself dreading life after graduation due to the uncertainty, have no fear. Shiffa Aziz shares a few ways you can deal with leaving your university life behind.

Change is never easy. We all experience it, as change is inevitable. During this period of uncertainty, you may be overwhelmed by the pressure of becoming a working adult. Adding on to that pressure is the emergence of the New Normal, caused by the COVID-19 situation. Do not despair, we’re here to help you with this transition.

MANAGE YOUR MONEY

Ah, personal finance and budgeting. It’s every college student’s least favourite item of discussion. However, if you don’t want to be about that #brokelife anymore, then it is a good idea to start planning. Pop quiz: As a working adult, you will be receiving your pay check at the end of each month. Do you a) spend it all at once; or b) put some aside? Let’s hope your answer was ‘b’, because you will have bills to pay, debts to settle, and savings to keep for the future. If you’re guilty of impulse buying, then it’s time to take matters seriously and control your spending habits. Retail therapy can only feel so good until you realise your pockets have run dry.

MAINTAIN YOUR WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Whether you plan to have a nine-to-five job, be a freelancer, or start your own business, you always need to remember: there is more to life than work. Balancing your personal life and work can be harder than you think. With many employees working from home due to the coronavirus, it’s easy to fall prey to becoming a workaholic, which eventually leads to a terrible burnout. Do make time for the things you love. This could be anything, from hanging out with your friends at the mamak, to binging Netflix shows at home. You will find that many companies out there do emphasise on work-life balance as well, because they know that a happy employee is a productive employee.

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE...

REALIGN YOUR GOALS

…and your enemies closer? Nah, not in this instance. Chances are, you and your chums will be graduating at the same time, and even if they aren’t, you should still keep in close contact with them. You’ve stuck together through thick and thin, and you can continue to do so by supporting each other through all the trials and tribulations that have yet to come (whilst physical distancing, of course). It doesn’t end there though. While you maintain good relationships with your old friends, don’t forget to make new friends at your workplace. By surrounding yourself with people who care about you, you have a strong support system to fall back on when the going gets tough.

As a student, one of your main priorities is passing your examinations with flying colours each semester, so you’d be able to flaunt that graduation scroll at the end of your study in uni. After that’s done, what then? Have you given any thought to your long-term career goals? Take some time to make these decisions. This is a new learning curve for you, so be sure to deal with any concerns you have about your career choice. It is a chance to discover yourself; be it by finding out which career path is the most suitable one for you, or by determining where your passion lies.

Part of what makes change difficult is that we are often so deep-rooted within our comfort zone, we neglect to think about the consequences of being underprepared when the time comes for a change. Which is why it is essential for you to not panic, breathe, and deal with this transition as smoothly as possible.

Luckily for you, we’ve taken the liberty to ask current working professionals how they managed to deal with their transition from college to the workplace! Head on over to the Employer Hub section and check out the Career Corner profiles to find out more!