The senior year of college is an emotional roller coaster that you can’t get off of until you cross the stage at graduation. (Then you enter another ride called life and I just haven’t been on that ride long enough to give you the appropriate theme park metaphor…my apologies.) As much as you love your friends and your school and your classes, you’re also freaking out about what you want to do after college and if what you want to do is right. And if you’re anything like me, you’re probably suffering from a killer case of the “what-ifs”.

What if I go to grad school?

What if I move to NYC without a job?

What if my boyfriend breaks up with me?

The what-ifs are never-ending and you’ll find them creeping up during class, while you’re at happy hour and  even while you’re hooking up. It’s a nasty sickness that’s hard to cure. Luckily CollegeFashion has a handy dandy guide to figuring it all out. Check it out here!

I got an email a few weeks ago explaining that we needed to apply for graduation before registering for the next semester. Um, what?! I don’t even know what classes I’m taking yet, and I already have to apply to graduate? Well, I did apply. And got a degree audit. And picked my final semester’s classes. Talk about scary. Thank goodness I’m not graduating in December like a lot of my friends because I still don’t even know what I want to do!

Let the freaking out about commencement commence.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m really excited to start my life in the “real world.” I imagine myself living somewhere amazing with cute decor and my dog, strutting down to the local coffee shop every morning where the hot barista will know my order and eventually write his number on my latte. A girl can dream, right? But I know that’s not the reality. I’m going to get a job, find a place that will need a lot of touching up and probably doesn’t have a doorman. I’ll work long hours and sleep less than I do now in college. I know all of that, the reality. But that’s not why I’m scared.

I’m scared to leave college behind. The past four years I’ve gained sisters and future bridesmaids. I’ve had ridiculous nights out. I’ve escaped death, twice. I’ve learned valuable life lessons from professors that had nothing to do with the class. I’ve become a writer. I’ve gone through two horrible breakups and ended up with someone who means the world to me. I’ve had all of these memories that seem so distant even now. What happens when I graduate? All of these experiences I’ve had with wonderful people will be just that. Of course, they will be treasured.

But I look back at my best friends from high school and realize that I’m only close with a handful of them today. I’m worried the same will happen. It’s so difficult when we move to different places. I see them when I go home, but it won’t be home for much longer. Soon, I’ll have my own home somewhere else. And that’s scary. It’s terrifying to think that a few short years ago, I just got here. It seems like these four years have gone by at hyperspeed, and I’m afraid that’s going to happen to the rest of my life as well. I want to enjoy the future, but if it goes by as quickly as college did, how?

I’m not scared of having a career and a place of my own or having to do my taxes or figure out my own insurance. It’s really about what I won’t have anymore once college is over. No more fro-yo runs because my sister needed a study break. No more playing Just Dance in the lounge at the sorority house. No more going out for margs on a Tuesday because a midterm kicked my butt. No more gamedays or foam parties. No more snuggling with my best friend because we had a bad day. While I can live without the cramming for exams and writing papers at the last minute, memories of all nighters with my best friends and late night coffee binges will ring in my head.

As scary as it is, I have to do it, and so does everyone else. Knowing that my friends are all feeling the same way I am makes it a little bit easier. Even though we’ll be going our separate ways, we won’t let life get in the way. What are you freaking out about?

The next (insert number of years here) is going to be one of the greatest times of your life. You’ll get to experience the freedom you’ve longed for, stay up for the late nights you didn’t expect, and find the greatest friends you never even knew existed.

You will fight with you roommate, multiple times. And it will be okay; nothing a small talk and a few bars of chocolate can’t fix. Remember, sometimes your mom can help. Call her, ask her what to do, involve her in your life. You are the one who needs to set the boundaries on when and how many times she can call. So talk to her.

It’s okay to fail. It’s okay to fail a lot, make mistakes, take stupid chances. There won’t be another time in your life when you can try this many things. So test out the waters, see what you like, find out what really makes you happy.

Sometimes it’s okay to skip your study sesh. You’re going to remember the night you stayed up playing Apples to Apples with your best friends, not what you got on a quiz that counts for 10% of your grade. Which brings me to…make memories! Yes, you go to college to get an education. But you’re only getting half of what you pay for if you only learn from books. So put off that paper one more day and go out with your friends.

Always think before you get a tattoo. Don’t use the excuse “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Think about it, figure out exactly what you want. Remember that it is permanent, and your mom will find out about it some day.

Be single. Find out who you are without anyone attached to you. Date, and date a lot. You won’t be able to find out who you are interested in being with if you don’t play the field. Now, that is not me saying, “don’t be in a relationship!” Just make sure you figure out who you are FIRST.

Go to Sunday brunch as many times as possible, for you will miss the days when the greasy eggs were the perfect fix for your Saturday night hangover.

Never forget the times when your roommate rolls over at midnight and whispers “Are you still awake” and you both share why you can’t sleep while laughing at your neighbor’s intense make out sesh. Make sure to thank her for always being your number one fan and the twin sister you always wanted.

Freshmen: Remember you are new and you do not know anything about this environment. Never, under any circumstances, correct a senior…you may get hit, or black listed from future parties. On that note, go to parties, play Beirut and flip cup. And learn why upperclassmen mock freshman girls. (Need more freshman advice? Check out Everything I learned Freshman Year)

Sophomores: Do not utter “Oh my god freshman are so annoying,” but remember you were there less than 3 months ago. Sympathize with your younger counterparts. Enjoy being out of the freshman dorms, revel in the fact that you don’t have to ask for directions. And always keep in touch with the people who share your freshman year memories.

Juniors: You’re almost there, don’t wish it away. Have fun on your 21st birthday! Enjoy your first night to the bar. But remember to always go to the bar with a buddy, and watch out for the really creepy men that may try to hit on you, as well as the sloppy frat bros.

Seniors: Ahh, seniors. Don’t stress out, you will finish all of your work on time. Enjoy knowing your school and remember it’s okay to give a freshman the wrong directions. Go out and don’t think about “this is the last time…” just have fun making the memory. Take care of all graduation preparations before finals; trust me, it may seem a little unnecessary, but you’ll thank me. Let your parents and friends be proud of you — and thank them. Those in your life who have stayed with you for the past four years, supported you, endured your drunk dials, listened to your tales and given you a hug when you needed it most. Make sure to thank them all.

Good Luck!

Sincerely,
Courtney (one of the millions of graduating seniors)

Cue the freakout, right?

We get it. We’ve been there. It’s dark and it’s scary and the worst part is, you don’t even have your BFFs by your side. You’ve got your parents and as good as they are, what do they know? How can they understand what you’re going through?

Well, good news, ladies! Brittany knows what you’re going through, because she’s going through it too. And she’s kicking ass. We sat down with her (OK, so we chatted with her on AIM – homegirl’s too busy at her awesome job to sit down with us anymore) to get her take on post-grad life. Here are some inspiring thoughts from the mind of Ms. Brittany:

CollegeCandy: What is advice you wish someone would have given you when you first graduated?

Brittany: To not be such a spazz-case? To listen to my mother? To breathe in two-second intervals instead of three minute intervals? God, there’s so much. The biggest, though, is this: go out into the world and be yourself.  Essentially, get out there and do YOU. And understand that uncertainty should comfort you, not freak you out. If you think you have it all figure out – you are dumb. And know nothing.

CC: What is the scariest moment/realization you’ve had as a post-grad?
Brittany: The scariest realization I’ve had as a post-grad is the reality that I may not be doing what I’m supposed to be doing.  I’m constantly asking myself: Is this what you want to be doing right now, Brittany? Would you rather be on The Voice? Are you supposed to be doing this? Another scary realization I’ve had recently is when I discovered that someone is actually going to invest in me to represent their company.  While I know I’m going to work my hardest and bust my balls impressing everyone, it’s a little scary to have someone believe in you and depend on you.

CC: What do you miss most from college?
Brittany: I miss the blissful ignorance of everything. I miss sweatpants on a Tuesday afternoon. I miss being a complete idiot and blaming it on the fact that I lived in an 8 by 8 foot dorm and showered in soggy flip-flops. I miss never treating my body like a temple. And I miss never regretting it.

CC: What is your most “adult” moment to date?
Brittany: The other day I put a frozen stick of butter on my butter tray before bed so I’d have soft butter in the morning.  Yeah, I’m not very much of an adult yet.

CC: What is your biggest regret since you graduated?
Brittany:  Because I’m annoying, I try not to have regrets.  But if I had to pick one it would be letting myself make the same mistake twice. Mostly because I’ve already spent a portion of time regretting the same thing before.  I recently allowed myself to think I could casually date someone.  NEWS FLASH 2.0 BRITTANY: You are a full-blown relationship attention whore. “Casual” is not going to cut it.  I recently allowed myself to think I could party on a week day. NEWS FLASH 2.0: Beauty sleep is your heroine and you are a grown up. Do you get it? 6 a.m. is not and never will be your glory hour.

CC: How did/do you handle all those “so, what are you going to do now?” questions?
Brittany: After considering permanently tattooing a post it note on my forehead, I’ve come up with an easy solution. Do something you love. That way, answering that question will be a breeze – and a treat.

Good stuff, right? Come back every week to commiserate/learn from Brittany’s post-grad journey. And if that’s not enough, read all about our very own editor’s first year out of college, too!

The most important thing to remember: you’re not alone. And you can do it. And passing out on the couch at 9pm on a Friday is not lame, it’s standard.

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Is next fall gonna be good or what?!

Can men and women just be friends?

The hottest shoes of the summer

Lessons for the newest graduates

WTF: Temporary LIP Tattoos?!

Did Betty White kill Bin Laden???

Breaking down the 25,000th Big Mac

This is who Arnold cheated on Maria with?!

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?

Graduation.

A time for celebration. A time for remembrance. A time for nostalgia. There will be parties and dinners, and congratulations all around. But seeing as how you’re now another post-grad girl without a job or savings the thing you’ll probably be the most excited about are the presents. I mean call us superficial but I feel like there has to be a few perks to leaving behind one of the parts of your life. And that means presents.

And while your family and friends all mean well. Sometimes their ideas of a good gift for graduating seniors are just a little bit of the mark. Ladies,  I present to you some of the ugliest graduation gifts ever.

It’s finally happening. Hard as you tried to push it off, you’re graduating. You are taking the big steps, literally, across the stage and into adulthood. To prepare for the big day, you chug a beer spend all morning primping, getting your hair perfectly curled, ironing your new dress, fixing your shoes. Then you cover it all up with that big, overpriced black gown. The gown that could easily fit two more people.

You look at yourself in disgust, then complain to your mom. “I look like a giant square!” you whine. So she soothes you in that sweet, motherly way. Well, unless it’s my mom then it’s an “Everyone does, get over it” kind of way.

True Story: No matter how bangin’ your bod or how figure-friendly your outfit, there’s nothing flattering about a graduation gown. But when you’re standing outside as your grandparents snap 1,637 pictures of you lookin’ round and squat in that rayon muumuu, you can at least take solace in the fact that you’re not wearing this:

Really, though, regardless of what you wear or how much you sweat under that gown, congratulations on this major accomplishment. No, really. We know what you’ve been up to for the past 4 years, so congrats on making it out alive…and ready to take on the real world. Yay, you!

It’s almost the end of the school year and for those unfortunate seniors out there, it may also be the end of college. (Wah Wah) The second most asked question (right after “what are you doing to do after you graduate?”), will be “what do you want for your graduation gift?” While my wise brother always claims that cash is king, the older generation often wants to give you something more tangible as a gift.

So here’s a list of things you should ask for so you don’t end up with five copies of Oh the Places You’ll Go:

So by now we all know the statistics.

The economy is suffering and because of that post-grads are suffering as well. More college graduates are left without job prospects than ever before, and maybe even more importantly, more college graduates are moving back in with their parents than ever before. Years ago, this may have been taboo. It was practically unheard of. But now, it’s happening more and more often, and is far more widely accepted. And that’s because for the first time, my generation does not expect to have a better lifestyle than that of their parents. That’s right, ladies – the recession has officially become a depression, and post grads are eying their limited prospects wearily.

According to The Huffington Post, in a survey conducted only 44% of those interviewed believed that they would surpass the lifestyle they grew up with. And as one of those soon-to-be post grads, let me say that I understand this lack of optimism completely. The economy is still recovering. The job market is terrible. And companies are downsizing instead of hiring. So how can we know be sure that we’ll even find a job, never mind a job that will provide us with a better lifestyle than the one we grew up with?

It’s a dark realization.

But while things seem a little bit depressing despite all the congratulations and “look at all you’ve accomplished” speeches, I’m going to try and be optimistic. I’m going to try and look on the bright side, and you should too. Because not having a job straight out of college and having no choice but to move back in with your parents, despite what you make think, is not the worst thing in the world.

There are some perks. First, there’s the obvious stuff. Moving back in with your parents means you get a rent free place to live, home cooked meals, and help with those everyday chores, like laundry and cleaning (which you were never very good at while you were at college anyway). But there’s a lot more to it than that. Living at home provides post grads with a safety net for a little while longer. It allows them the opportunity to search for the job they want, to turn down the menial job that will lead nowhere, to hold out for something a little better, to hold out for the job they want, to hold out for the job that will lead to a career. It allows them the opportunity to build up some savings before having to move out and pay rent. It allows them the opportunity  to find a job that not only pays well, but also a job that they like, a job that just might eventually allow them to succeed past the lifestyle of their parents.

Things are gloomy and after spending all this time and money working towards a life that seems nearly impossible to attain, we should just be thankful that our parents were fortunate enough to achieve that lifestyle, whatever that might be, because it gives us the time to figure out exactly how we’re going to achieve ours.