As finals start to wind down and graduation looms closer most graduates will be reminiscing about the memories they had with their besties. The late night chats, the embarrassing moments, the day you met freshman year as you walked in a giant mass of people to the nearest frat party. But those girls and guys aren’t the only ones you’ll have to say goodbye to come graduation day; there’s also all those randoms you’ve met along the way that added a little spice to your college career.

The ones you see daily but NEVER talk to.
The ones that you share awkward smiles with when you see people take a tumble on an icy street.
The boy from your intro to Anthropology class that giggled with you whenever your teacher unintentionally said something funny.

These are the people you have taken for granted for the past four years and soon they’ll be out of your life forever. When you think about it – it being the fact that you have met so many people that you’ll never see again – it’s weird, right? So let’s take a moment to reflect on these randoms and give them the goodbye they deserve:

The Bartender who always slipped you a shot or two: You’re not sure when or how the connection started, but it did, and now you get free drinks every time you saddle up to the bar. You don’t know his/her name, but he/she has had a bigger impact on your college career than your Psych 101 professor. You’ve share a secret unspoken bond…well, until you graduate and never see each other again. You will be missed, Generous Bartender Person.

Your First Guy: You shared your first college date, your first college kiss, or maybe lost your virginity to him. You might not speak anymore, but he has always been just been a couple of dorms away. Now that you’re both graduating and moving on, that’s no longer the case. And it’s a strange, strange feeling.

Your Secret Crush: You’ve lived in the same building since freshman year and see him all the time in the dining hall, but you’ve never actually exchanged words. You spent the last four years daydreaming that he would one day approach you, you’d share witty banter and the rest would be history. Well, that never happened. Now he’s just the ‘what if ‘ in the back of your mind. The one that got away. The one that you can’t even stalk post-grad because you aren’t even Facebook friends.

Your Party BFF: You bonded once over your shared love for Nivea chapstick, and since then she has been your girl at every party/bar/outing. You usually greet one another with a “Wooo!” and a hug, then bump into one another as you get down on the makeshift dance floor. You’ve shared drunken selfies, peed together in the bathroom, and even partnered up for a beer pong game or two. And yet you’ve never seen her in the light of day….or sobriety. She’s not your BFF but she is your party BFF and now you’ll have to navigate the world of real life parties without her by your side.

Your Freshman Year Roommate: You may not have become BFFs, or even friends, but she is the person who helped you survive all those firsts: your first trip to the dining hall, your first college finals, your first so-bad-you-can’t-get-out-of-bed-to-get-a-Gatorade hangover. She will forever be a part of your college memories, stories and Facebook photo albums, even if you’ll never see or speak to her again.

The Awkward Hook-Up: Maybe you both were a little too drunk, maybe it was just bad timing, maybe he had no freaking clue what he was doing and left you walking funny for days. Whatever it was, the night was a little weak and after sneaking out of there while he snored, you’ve been dodging him for years….

Wait, this might actually be a positive. No, this is definitely a good thing! Peace out, awkward waves and not knowing if you should pretend to text or just blatantly ignore him!

Now it’s your turn – what random will you miss the most?

So…big day is almost here.

You ready for the real world?

What are your plans?

If you’re cringing at the very thought of these questions then there’s only one possible explanation: You too are a college senior. You too are caught between college and real life, trying to enjoy the time you have left at college while also trying to make plans for what comes next. You too are frustrated and upset, and unsure. But most importantly you too are badgered daily, no hourly, about all those post college plans. They want to know everything and they want to know it now. But you don’t even know the answers yourself so how can you answer their questions?

Well, lucky for you, I’ve compiled a list of answers for all those pesky questions you’re constantly being bombarded with. They may not be truthful and they may get you a few strange looks but they’ll definitely shut them up.

1. Do you have a job lined up yet?

Currently I’m mulling over a few different offers. MTV wants me on their new reality TV show. But I’m also really tempted by my acceptance to Harvard Law. Then again can Boston compare to that loft they promised me in Manhattan if I went to work for Donald Trump? Eh, maybe I’ll just finally accept Ryan Reynolds’ proposal and spend a few months honeymooning with him. What do you think I should do?

2. Whatshisname is going where? That’s all the way across the country. How are you two going to stay together?

Phone sex. Lots of it. All the same. At work. On the train. At night. In fact we have an appointment right now. We’re practicing. If you’ll excuse me.

3. Isn’t that going to be terrible, moving back in with your parents?

Yes, but in exchange for a lack of privacy I get free room and board. Free meals. Someone to help me do my laundry and a place to crash while I figure out exactly what I want to do with my life. If you can think of a better alternative please do let me know.

4. You’ve got a job? That’s great? How’d you manage that?

Slept my way to the top.

5. What are your plans?

I’ve sent in my application to live at the Playboy mansion. If that doesn’t work out I’ll just have to marry rich, which means I’ll be spending this summer googling how to be the best damn gold digging whore out there, you?

6. Can I have your futon? You don’t need it anymore, right?

Sure, you can have it. Just as long as you don’t mind me coming along with it. Because I’ve decided I’m just not ready to leave yet. I just didn’t know how to make it work if I stayed. But if you’re taking my futon that’s perfect. I’ll just crash at your place. With my futon.

7. So…are you going to miss college?

No. Not at all. Not in the least. Why would I miss the place I’ve called home for the past four years? Why would I miss the place I’ve made some of the greatest memories of my life? Why would it even matter to me at all?

8. Ready for the big day?

Am I ready for the big day? I hadn’t really thought about it? Cap and gown? Check. Graduating? Check. Ability to walk in a straight line without falling or laughing? Hmm. Maybe I should practice that. Or at least not drink that bottle of Jack before the ceremony…

9. Do you think you’ll stay in touch with your friends?

Nah. Somehow I don’t think Facebook, e-mail or Skype are going to cut it. So I’m not even going to bother trying. We’ll say goodbye at graduation and then that will be that. Cut the cord, you know?

10. You got a job that’s great? What’s your starting salary?

Millions. I mean megamillions. I work one year and I’ll never have to work again. One week and my college loans will forever be paid off. It’s great. I won’t give you an actual number though. It will blow your mind.

Of course, if none of that works, breaking down into sobs should do the trick. Trust me, works like a freaking charm. And sometimes you’ll even get pity presents!

College seniors.

It’s serious and it spread quickly. But the problem is the symptoms can at first appear so subtle that college students may not even notice they have them. Their regular behavior is simply heightened. So when going about their normal, every day lives they don’t even realize that they’re actually struggling with senioritis. That’s why they can’t write that paper or concentrate in class. That’s why everything seems impossible. If  you’re a college senior and this, or any of the signs below sound familiar to you, you may be suffering from senioritis. (And no, we don’t recommend looking up your symptoms on WebMD. Just check out our senioritis bucket list instead.)

1. Oversleeping. Your alarm goes off so you press the snooze button. And then you press again. And then again. And then you glance at the clock and realize your class starts in five minutes…and then you roll over and go back to sleep. 

2. The desire to never do anything productive anything again. The other night, instead of watching the movie I was supposed to watch for class I spent the night watching the entire first season of Brothers and Sisters on Netflix instant play. It seemed like an excellent idea at the time.

3. Asking the question but why does this matter? Before I start an assignment, before I do my reading, before I make the walk across campus to my next class it’s all I’m thinking these days. Why does it matter? It will all be over in a month or so. It won’t matter!

4. Hanging out with your friends even more often than usual. I’ve always been very good about scheduling my time. Work, classes, time for friends. I fit it all in there. But lately I’ve been putting off homework, pushing back plans, and rearranging schedules to allow for even more hang out time than usual. My excuse? We only have ___ days/months/weeks left. Might as well enjoy them

5. The sudden desire to be a joiner. You’ve never been one for those campus wide events like festivals on the oval or midnight breakfasts but now suddenly you find yourself ready and willing to participate in just about anything even the carnival you haven’t gone to since freshman year…

6. Not showing up to classes. Everyone takes mental health days, but when you’re skipping class more often than you’re going that’s when you know somethings up.

Alright, your turn. What are some other signs of senioritis? 

I’m graduating in less than a month. And even though that means I have some pretty great things to look forward to it also means that I’m leaving behind a pretty good life and some pretty good friends. And that’s the reason I’ve been sporadically crying for weeks a little bit upsetting. So instead I’m going to try to look on the bright side. I’m graduating. There will be a celebration. There will be a party. And that means there will be gifts. (There are also a lot of other things to look forward to after graduation.)

And while most of these gifts won’t be nearly as great as the list I’ve compiled in my head (and rightly so), I still feel like sharing it with you ladies. Mostly because I just want to daydream about these awesome graduation presents, but also because maybe one of my relatives will find this article after winning the lottery and feel bad about getting me a crappy high school graduation present all those years ago and surprise me with one of them.

But anyway, back to the point. After day dreaming about my graduation celebration I’ve compiled a list of dream gifts. Not gifts I expect to get. Not gifts I think I should get, but gifts I wish I could get. And now I’m sharing them with you. Get ready to drool ladies.

1. MacBook Air
This one is actually pretty practical. For a long time now I’ve been a PC girl, or a Dell girl to be more precise. But after four years and more fried hard drives and/or motherboards than I care to admit, I think it’s time for a change. Now that I’m out of college I no longer have to worry about my papers being compatible with my teachers and I want to make the switch to a Mac, but not just any Mac, the MacBook Air. It’s tiny and portable, and so, so pretty.

2. A Trip to Greece
Ever since I read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants I’ve wanted to visit Greece. And every time I see it in a movie (Mamma Mia, My Life in Ruins, and lots of other chick flicks) my desire to visit the country only increases. There’s just something about it that appeals to me, ancient and beautiful, and full of gorgeous guys with great accents. A one way ticket is fine, thanks.

3. The iPhone 5
I’ve wanted the iPhone for a very long time. But not enough to give up my Verizon service plan. So I held off on entering the world of the smart phones for a while. Until last summer. When I finally caved and got the Blackberry. Just a few months before the iPhone came to Verizon. So now I have a 2-year Blackberry plan, and can’t upgrade without paying for the iPhone in all its full price glory. Something I will not do. I will, however, accept gifts.

4. A Shopping Spree
Come on, how could I pass up the opportunity to ask for a full-fledged shopping spree? I mean I’ll be a college graduate soon. So that means I need a college graduate’s wardrobe. Wish means I need to do lots and lots of shopping. For lots and lots of shoes business attire. It doesn’t have to be the whole mall, just Macy’s will be fine…please?

5. A Lifetime Supply of Starbucks
Just because I’m giving up all-nighters that doesn’t mean I’m giving up my caffeine fix. In fact, now that I’ll have to wake before the crack of dawn I’ll need my morning macchiato more than ever before. But trenta venti caramel macchiato’s don’t come cheap, especially on a post-grad budget. So if someone else could fit the bill I’d really appreciate it.

What about all the other seniors out there? What are your dream graduation gifts? Do any of these graduation gifts belong on your list?

Balance is really a simple science: if you have a scale and you put a brick on one side and a feather on the other, the brick is hitting the floor. I learned that lesson long ago and try to apply it in my everyday life, even when I’m making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; if I don’t spread my peanut butter evenly enough on my piece of bread, and lay it on too thick on one end, I can barely get through it without gagging or being completely repulsed by its sticky and overwhelming existence.

But let’s talk about balance in my real life, yes? I mean, I could talk about peanut butter and jelly for days but in this case, the peanut butter is me and I’m just trying to spread myself evenly against the Wonderbread of life. Whoa, did I just go there? Yup, I did. I compared my life to PB&J. And I’m totally OK with that.

Lately, I’ll be honest, I’ve been finding it excruciatingly difficult to balance my personal life and spread myself evenly across everything I feel I need to do. I understand I can’t be good at everything (I learned that when I auditioned for choir….), but when it comes to balancing what’s important in my post-grad life, do I have to have to pick only one of the five things I want to excel in?

To explain better what I mean, I’ll pick five things that are most important to me: my job, my family, my friends and relationships, my ‘me’ time and taking care of myself.  Now – as a human being, I want to squeeze all of those in my daily life and pay attention to all of them.

I want to wake up, hammer the nail square into the head at my job.  And when I’m done with work, I want to call my friends and family and offer my attention equally to every single one of them.  Then after that, I want to have quiet time just for me while I paint my nails, pluck my eyebrows, work out, take my vitamins and be the healthy freak-version of myself.  Oh, and then I want to go out and dance around with my friends.  All in one day. Every day.

Doesn’t sound possible?  You’re probably right.  I agree, that previous description of my dream schedule probably isn’t possible, but it would be nice to come somewhat close.  While I want to pursue success in relationships, my job, and my personal self, it’s difficult to do so as a post-grad. Unlike my college days when I had 3 hours of class and 21 hours of nothingness, my time is limited after this whole 9-5 business. To be honest, I can barely find the time to do one thing well, never mind the other 4 or the 10,000 other things responsible adults need to take care of (laundry? Dishes? Pshaw). And it’s like some weird cycle, because knowing I can’t accomplish everything I want and need to only makes me stress out more than the original overwhelming to-do list already has.

OMG, real life is making me crazy.

I need to find a way to conquer this, before I have a complete post-grad meltdown. (Editor’s Note: Don’t worry – that’s just another post-grad milestone, honey!)

So I’ve come up with an idea, and it centers around lowering my expectations (which seems to be a theme in this life after college). Maybe I need to stop being so extreme about each element and just not expect as much from myself.  I need to be content knowing that a simple phone call to my mother could suffice for a day as opposed to struggling to get home for the weekend and giving them the attention they deserve.  I need to understand it’s impossible to grab coffee after work with all of my friends. I need to carve out a little time here and there to treat myself, instead of setting aside a ton of time and money for a full on spa day. If I tone down each quality of life I want to strive at, maybe I can find the means to spread them out evenly on my plate. And then everyone, especially me, can be happy.

Now I just need to find the time before work every morning to make my PB&J sandwich.

To be honest, I don’t remember much from reading Charles Dickens’ book Great Expectations when I was in seventh grade, but I do remember being extremely scared. Seriously, that book gave me nightmares.  Was there a cemetery in the plot? Did someone abduct somebody? Did it even have anything to do with having ‘expectations?’ Or was that just a clever title twist in a book full of freaky shiz?  (Sidenote: Wow, I didn’t learn anything in seventh grade. How did I even get to college in the first place? Whatever, I’m going somewhere with this, I swear.)

Regardless of my lack of 7th grade education, this book landed softly in my mind recently and I got to thinking about expectations. In my life, I have an expectation timeline that goes a little something like this: With any given situation, my expectations are minimal during the beginning.  Once the situation hits halfway, my expectations usually skyrocket.  Take a relationship for example.  When I start talking to a guy I’m interested in I don’t expect a lot; I have fun, play carefree, play coy.  But once he starts to impress me and things progress, my expectations hit levels people could be offended by.  Suddenly, I’m waiting on him to kiss my feet and feed me mini chocolate chips and peanut butter with a baby spoon (What? Only my fantasy?) And the same story is true for all aspects of my life.

Except, since graduating college, my personal expectations have turned backwards. That’s right – as a post-grad, I expect too much out of every beginning.  I squeeze the shiz out of the orange before I can have a taste.  It’s awful.  I used to gain expectations through experience and now I have a ton of expectations before the experience.  Result:  I’m always disappointed.

First, it was relationships. As opposed to being carefree, I immediately place a label on whatever is going on with a guy.  We start hanging out, and I stamp a “booty call” or “relationship material” label right on his chest with my mind stamp.  If he doesn’t step up to my plate and perform the way I want him to, I become distraught and frustrated that I don’t have control of the situation.  And what happens? I go on a downward spiral before I can properly figure out if it’s even worth it.

The same thing happens with jobs. I waltzed out of college and immediately decided I couldn’t settle for anything less than I (felt I) deserved, instead of understanding the idea of “stepping stones to get there.”  My high expectations for myself made me actually believe I could jump across a twenty foot cliff to get my dream job.  And let me tell you, a twenty foot leap is way more difficult without a bridge.

My post-grad great expectations on crack affected my relationships with my friends as well. Not only did I immediately trust every person I met and expect them all to be my BFFAE, but I expected all of my college friends to cater to my needs and try hard (if not harder than me) to spend time with me.  Great expectations made me a stubborn, overly selfish and greedy human…who was constantly let down and angry with someone.

My high expectations for myself and others continues to stress me out constantly.  While I believe I should never expect anything less than the best for myself and my future, I need to lower my expectations so I’m flexible, eager to learn and easier on myself.  Great expectations up front destroy my ego and prevent me from moving forward.  I completely rule out perfect opportunities for diverse relationships (friends or boyfriends) and job opportunities that can eventually aid in assisting me to the fancy job and life I’ve always wanted.

I need to be careful with expectations.  It’s a fine balance between having too many and becoming disappointed, or having too little and not respecting myself by expecting (and believing) I deserve the best.  I think the magic trick is to be careful in making personal promises.  I’m going to approach any situation with an open mind, over-deliver and remain level-headed.

Remember, I’m not saying lowering personal expectations is the answer.  It’s ironing them out so we can be realistic and not let high hopes get in the way.  As post-grads, we truly deserve what we work hard for.  But we have to work hard for them. Results, both personal and professional, take time and effort. Dream jobs and perfect boyfriends don’t just show up on our doorsteps.

You got this, girl.

Alright post-grads, future post-grads, and people who think they are post-grads but are really just thirty-years-old and clinging on to their blissful youth.  For some reason as a post-grad myself, I’ve found it easiest to write about things that depress me.  I guess I just like an excuse to indulge in brownie sundaes nightly. But the truth is, the post-grad life isn’t depressing!  In reality, it’s a beautiful time for all of us to open doors after some have been slammed in our faces.  Think about the power you obtain in that single movement!

But I digress.

When we leave college, we immediately assume we’ve lost so much. And by so much, I mean everything. I’ll be straight up honest with you: when I was in college, I was an annoying, cocky, lady-child (in the best way possible). I think it had something to do with the fact that while I was living the dream, napping intensely during the week, drinking until 3AM, getting in everywhere for free as long as I flashed someone my boobs student ID – basically living like a homeless celebrity – I felt as if nothing could get past me.

College was my own protective placenta of awesomeness; a slice of time when I could bask in everything that was working out for me (i.e. free food, a semi-careless attitude, eating whatever sat in front of me, not worrying about what anyone thought).  I know I’m completely sounding like a cocky a**hole, but college made me feel weirdly confident.  I felt like I could do anything, dream anything and, most importantly, see everything clearly.  Perhaps it was some evolved pair of college beer goggles, but I saw everything without any glitches, scratches or worries.  I knew that by the end of the semester I would have survived somehow and I could look forward to a fresh slate in January.

When I graduated, though, I lost that college invincibility factor.  I was no longer sitting on the top of the world or starring in my own personal Fantasia movie, controlling whatever I wanted with my ‘I-don’t-give-a-sh*t’ magic wand.  I was sitting in a world engulfed by people who would not adhere to me, who wouldn’t pay my loans and who didn’t give a rat’s about how entirely awesome I was at college.

I tried to get back in touch with that ‘amazingness’ factor for so long but couldn’t find it because I didn’t have college to back me up.  I didn’t have all my friends constantly telling me how fun the weekend had been. I didn’t have professors praising me for joining clubs on campus. I didn’t have parents patting my back when I made it on the Dean’s List or did well on a test.  I left college and suddenly, an amazing, satisfying life was entirely up to me. I no longer had college to define what was happening. I needed to define this new life myself.

Well, that’s scary…

…And the soul reason why I think everyone should keep a piece of that college cockiness within them (in good measure, of course) as a post-grad and hold it close to their heart.  Many people view cockiness as a negative quality, but I believe cockiness can be turned into an element of confidence that helps us get by. Especially when we’re facing the unknown head-on. We don’t need to shove cockiness in other’s faces (i.e. make YouTube videos where we talk about how amazing we are and how our bodies are fueled with Tiger Blood); we can simply remind ourselves of our personal greatness (because we’ve all got it, girls, even if it doesn’t feel like it right about now) and use it to believe in ourselves and push ourselves forward.

In college, I believed I could do anything I wanted, from acing a class to bonging 2 beers in one funnel. As a post-grad, I continually want to believe I can do anything.  I want to feel invincible.  And I don’t want to have to chug a few shots of liquid courage to get there. (Trust me – drinking just isn’t as easy when you’re out of college. Sad face.) That is when I channel my inner cocky college girl. I don’t need my friends or parents or teachers to back me up here; I got everything I need to kick ass out here and take some names (and numbers. Call me, boys!). I’m an adult, dammit. A woman. I learned everything I need to know about my profession and have the skills I need to be successful out here.

I know it now, so I’m lifting my head up and forging on.

I used to just be really good at college, but now I’ve got a whole new list of things to feel good about. Watch out, world – cocky bitch comin’ through.

When I was a little girl and thought of growing up, I closed my eyes and saw a life full of prosperity. I saw a world where I could do what I loved most, play Barbies in my spare time, and make a lot of money being a veterinarian, curing boxes of adorable puppies on a daily basis.  Then when I turned thirteen and reality was a little clearer, Celine Dion proved to me I had the pipes to belt out ‘My Heart Will Go On’ until my heart (and those around me) would not go on any longer.  I knew that someday I would date Justin Timberlake because we were at the same place in our musical careers and we could understand each other.

When I graduated high school and Justin Timberlake started dating Cameron Diaz, I knew I had to pick an alternative life.  It took some time (and a few people cringing at the sound of my voice), but I soon realized I could not be the next pop artist. Instead, I would go to college and dig into its grab bag of opportunity.

I wanted to find out who and what I wanted to be.  And I had a four-year time crunch.

When I graduated, I was pushed into a world full of options.  At first, I took all of the options, put them in a sack that was my mind and tried them on one by one.  Some were good (interning at CollegeCandy, FTW!), and others not so much (clerical work just isn’t my thang), and as time went on, I realized one thing: I needed to do something that struck my passionate heart strings. I knew I could deal with whatever my occupation tossed me from then on if I had a big ass crush on it.

So I chose writing. It is something that has always made me happy and decided that no matter what the job, I wanted to do virtually anything that involved taking out a piece of paper and decorating it with some witty, smart, and entertaining scribble.  Relief set in when I decided to strive towards this goal in life. Finally, I had some direction! A path to follow. It was calming to know that I finally had a clue and now all I had to do was make it happen.

But I soon discovered that finding our passion is the easiest part about the growing up process. (You mean it gets harder? Pass the fudge, please.)  The molding it into something real is where things get difficult.

You see, running after my dream job came with its own set of problems. I had two options:  I could be passionate and really dive into my field head first without any guarantee that it would ever work out, or I could be completely practical. You know, take any job, make some money, whatever. Being practical was obviously tempting because I knew I could get a solid job outside of my field right away, make money, live on my own, pay my loans and move along.

But did I really want to work a job that’s only benefit was that it was secure, or struggle in a field where my card may not be dealt until I was ready to retire?

That’s probably the toughest question any recent post-grad will face, and one that kept me up, staring at my ceiling, for weeks.

I went back and forth (money or passion, passion or money, live with my parents forever or have a sick apartment and a job I loathe?), until one day I climbed out of my childhood bed and decided that it doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. It doesn’t have to be love or loathe, success or failure. In a moment of post-grad clarity (which are much less frequent than post-grad meltdowns), I realized that we can balance our passion with some practicality.  We can choose our passions and we can use practicality to get there. We can start at the bottom, prove ourselves, and work our way up (practical), until we end up in the job we’re head over heels in love with (passion).

We may not get there right away, but that’s OK. At this point in the game, I am content in knowing that my passion is strong enough to get me where I want to be in the end.

Maybe it’s the high of finally getting a job that I actually love (go me!), but I truly believe all of us should do what makes us happy. And I truly believe it’s possible to do so. It might take a little time and some sacrifice, but there is a future out there for every one of us that is as wonderful as it is practical.

Except maybe marrying Justin Timberlake; who knows how long we’re going to have to wait for him to break up with Jessica Biel??

Read more about the ups and downs of Brittany’s post-grad life and empathize with her here.

The following post is written by Josh Olson from UNC, one of our many friends at Uloop, a student powered marketplace. Read more great posts in their blog.

Straight from the dorm onto the street. This might seem to be the fate threatening college students graduating in our current economic doldrums. But there may be hope. There are methods for making yourself more appealing to potential employers. There are ways to manicure your resume; and there’s always the internship option. But you already knew that.

Here are some somewhat less conventional ways to avoid those unemployment lines after graduation.

1. Build a personal brand. This involves gaining experience, having concrete accomplishments, and establishing yourself as “somebody” in your job-market. It is closely intertwined with networking (see No. 3 below) because it requires that you figure out where the big-shots in your industry gather. Do they flock to the Twitterverse? Do they go to conventions? Building a personal brand necessitates that you answer these questions, do something noteworthy, and then go where the big-shots are to gain visibility.

2. Develop the Skills that Your Future Employer Needs. Ask yourself: “Do I have skills that a future boss would need?” If the answer is no, simply figure out what those skills are and develop them while in college. This is closely allied to No. 4 (start a small business) because there is no boot-camp like business to force you into obtaining new skills.

3. Network (Twitterize). In olden times, those who succeeded in life were those who had connections. This is still true today. Fortunately, today you don’t have to rely on an aristocratic pedigree: you can engineer a connection network via social media. In particular, Twitter is excellent for allowing you to meet and network with people you would never have met otherwise. In the Twitterverse you can rub elbows with the big-shots, who are much more accessible there than in any other context.

4. Start a Small Business. This has three advantages. First, it will build your character and work ethic. Second, it will prove to prospective employers that you won’t be dead weight. Third, it will force you to develop many skills that will prove attractive to employers. Concrete accomplishments are more impressive than beautiful resumes. Businesses want doers and go-getters. Entrepreneurship is a marker of these traits.

Looking back, though, much has happened in the past year. It seems I’ve learned a lot while Ke$ha put a dollar sign in her name and started brushing her teeth with a “bottle of Jack,” John Mayer proclaimed that he is on the search for “the Joshua Tree of vaginas,” and the Jersey Shore became a national phenomenon.

So here (in no particular order) is what I know for certain after turning 21. Perhaps you youngsters can take a few things from this:

1. Friendships should make you happy — not pissed off : Friends should be so much more than people you dance on tables with and dish about the weekend to. They should be there for you, and you should be there for them. They also should not steal your alcohol on your 21^st birthday and make out with the fraternity guy, all while puking as your boyfriend helps take care of them.

2. Raincoats are amazing: They are often understated and overwhelmingly overlooked when it comes to fashion. But even if they aren’t fashionable, really, you can’t complain when that slicker keeps your from frizzing. Without a rain jacket I wouldn’t have made it through the summer in London. And I think it actually kept me going to class this past semester. Why didn’t I realize this sooner? It doesn’t matter if you have a basic from Lands End or a super sexy trench from Dillards, just get one!

3. Go to the gym: Surprisingly enough, it is worth your time. Who knew? I sure didn’t, until I started going religiously with my boyfriend back in September. If you actually go to the gym and do more than hang out on the treadmill and elliptical for thirty minutes, you can see results. Plus, it teaches you patience on so many different levels.

4. Do not drink MD 20/20: Even if the frat-mixed mojitos are watered down and tasting a bit like a dirty dance floor, stay away from the MD.

5. Do experience a Pimms with Lemonade: Although you probably have never heard of this drink before, Pimms with Lemonade is a London pub staple. The Pimms is to Wimbledon, as the mint julep is to the Kentucky Derby. This fresh tasting, fruity cocktail will may be enough to convince you to study abroad for a semester. It’s to die for.

6. Puppy Love = True Love: Dogs truly give the most unconditional love. Even though my boyfriend got a dog back in September and it has been a ton of work, I can’t help but keep falling in love with the little darling. You can’t have a bad day whenever a puppy is around. However, at the same time, the realization that having a puppy is a huge responsibility is constant and serves as amazing birth control for many, many years to come.

7. The VS Miraculous Push Up Bra is a miracle: The Victoria’s Secret new Miraculous Push Up bra is the greatest and latest thing to come into the world of retail. With a level 5 design to push up and lift, this push up bra is not playing around – it increases your breast size by two full cups. Unlike a lot of push up bras, this bra actually makes your boob size look believable, all while supplying comfort.

8. Hell No to the Snow: I can never live where it snows on a daily basis during the winter. After what I deemed the Great Snow of ’09 in Virginia (in which 24 inches of snow fell in two days), this has re-arranged my life geographically for good. Those applications to Illinois for graduate school?  Out the window. My dream of always visiting Maine? Only if it’s summer.  Multiple inches of snow at a time? No thanks.

9. Reading is magical: Taking the time to read for pleasure in between reading for class is one of the best ways to relax. This past year, I have rediscovered my love for reading, all while falling in love with some great stories. Need something to restart your love of reading? Read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon or Train to Trieste by Domnica Radulescu.

10. “That’s So You!” It’s important to have your signature piece, be it clothing, music or opinion. This has made my life simpler and more defined.

11.  Meeting the Parents: Meeting the parents is scary. However, whether they like you or not is out of your hands. You can be the sweetest girl they have ever met, but if they don’t like the idea of their kid being with someone without the qualifications they are looking for (i.e.: money, a professional school degree), it doesn’t matter how amazing you are or how much you have going on for yourself. Just accept it and try not to take it to heart … too much.

12.  Post-Grad is intimidating: Graduate, law, and business school applications are a lot more comprehensive than they lead you to believe on first glance. Those statements of intent and optional essays are really unlike anything you have written in the past, unless you are a professional graduate school applicant. Starting early is the only way to preserve your sanity as senior year rolls around. And taking the GRE or LSAT, well those should have occurred a year ago. Oops!

13.  “Welcome to the real world, she said to me…:” Although the quarter-life crisis often seems inevitable, I have learned that I definitely do not want to go down the John Mayer permanent-existential-life-crisis road. While his never-ending misery will supply good music for more and more years to come (without a doubt), I choose to not dwell. It’s much healthier this way, even if I do enjoy indulging in his misery sometimes.

14.  Stop reading beauty magazines: I’ve stopped buying magazines and I feel much more enlightened.  Instead, I have stopped giving my $3.99 to advice on how to make a man moan and enjoy the in-depth features in the feminist friendly Bust magazine, and the musically progressive Paste.

15.  Give a Little Bit: Helping others is amazing and it makes you feel better than anything else can.

16.  It’s Overrated: Being a senior is overrated. I have had more work and more responsibility than ever before and I feel like with every passing day, more and more obligations come my way. While it seems that a lot of seniors are spending their nights partying and hanging out, I am writing 20-page papers and doing graduate school rain dances to promote a surplus of acceptance letters.

17.  To Thine Own Self, Be True: To be a writer, you need to have extremely thick skin. Regardless of what your stance is, someone is always going to go against it and you have to be true to yourself and the piece you are writing. The same goes for all facets of life; you gotta be you and that’s that.

18.  Big birthday parties don’t prove anything: Big birthday parties aren’t all that they are cracked up to be. After years of over-the-top Disney birthday,  the whole high school teenage hang-out-birthday scene, and the exuberantly drunk and pretentiously planned college birthday, I will take the quiet and intimate birthday dinner over anything else.  It’s better to celebrate with those that actually matter.

19.  Lady Gaga is a goddess: She’s given us greatness, i.e.: “I’m bluffin’ with my muffin,” disco-bras, “Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-roman-mamaa! Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!,” and perhaps the greatest line of them, “I’m a free bitch, baby!” Her stage presence is to die for, and her genuine, authentic, down-to-Earth personality (come on, didn’t you see her on Oprah?) is addictive. Plus, I’ve seen a slew of live performances and I have to say, Gaga outperforms the rest with her Monster Ball.

20.  Say No to Parent Drama: If your parents are magnificent – great. If they aren’t, it is time to accept it and move on, instead of constantly wishing for your mother to be someone she is not.

21.  The Little Things Count: It’s important to relish the little things. In college, so much happens at once, it feels like the world can pass you by – especially once you turn 21 and the end of college seems very near. The most important lesson I’ve learned is to take time doing something you enjoy. It doesn’t matter if you want to get crazy drunk on a Friday night or take an extra art class, but do what gives you the most pleasure. Make time for more sex. Make time to cook dinner with your roommates. Just make time! As each year goes by, it is also important to look back to see what you’ve learned (whether it’s good, bad, ugly, or silly).

[This post is a favorite of CollegeCandy fan, Rose...and also of The Huffington Post. So Yay Charlsie...and thanks Rose for picking out one of the best!]