Graduation day is finally in sight, which means one thing - real life is hurtling towards you at lightning speed! Naturally, this is an exciting yet worrying period in your life.

You’ve worked hard to get to this point (hopefully!) and now it’s time to take the bull by the horns. But how do you make sure you won’t fall off?

Here are 5 things to keep in mind to set you up for life after graduation and help ease your transition into adulthood.

5. Budgeting
If you were like the average student, chances are that things were financially tight in university. It isn’t easy to juggle rent, groceries, utilities, expensive textbooks, and classes, along with having a social life. Sadly, things don’t get any easier as you graduate.

But don’t despair. This is where budgeting comes in. You may have started budgeting in college, but if you didn’t, now’s the perfect time to start.

You can start simple, with weekly or monthly lists of your expenses. This will help you understand how much you spend on specific things, where you should cut costs and where you should spend more. Once you’re more comfortable handling your money, look into some good finance apps. They are life savers if you’re struggling to get a grip on your accounts.

Make use of the student discounts if you can after graduation. In the U.K. you can still use the 16-25 railcard, if you fall in that age bracket. The benefits of Amazon Student still roll over if you sign up right before you graduate.

Mastering your money is an important first step towards a smooth exit from university and into the real world. It may be scary, but it will also give you confidence to face the other challenges of adulthood.
 

4. Time management
It may have been easy to spend countless hours doing nothing at university. But with the demands of a job, commuting and less time for socializing, time is one of the most precious things in the post-grad life. That is why it is important to have a daily schedule, and be disciplined about sticking to it. That may sound boring, but it pays off big time, as it’s seen as a major asset by employers. Here’s some advice if you’re keen to know more.
 

3. Work
The most pressing concern for any graduate is finding a decent job. That can be an overwhelming task, especially with all the stories and information about how hard the economy is.

Many students already have a career in mind, but if you don’t, that isn’t a problem. You don’t have to jump straight into a job for life. Even the most ambitious people start off doing various kinds of jobs to gain experience and get used to a routine.

The most unlikely roles can shape your approach to work, problem solving and life in general. Get ahead of the game and start applying for a range of jobs today for the experience and the money.

You can also earn without regular employment by doing something extra on the side. Remember how expensive your textbooks were? Sell them for a discount to cover your Wi-Fi bill, or keep it on the side for the next trip. 
 

2. Lifestyle
Waiting to hear back from recruiters and potential employers can be emotionally taxing. Its easy to fall into a pattern of Netflix, eat and repeat. Don’t. Exercise is great for a positive outlook, getting the blood pumping and brain cells working at optimum capacity.

It is important to keep your body going with the right fuel as well. Forget student kebabs and boozing. The variety of tasty, healthy and cost-conscious options out there are well worth checking out.
 

1. Rest ‘n Recreation
Establishing yourself in your chosen field or exploring where you want to work will take a lot of effort and time. It is important to work hard, but if you don’t carve time out to rest and recreation, then you can burnout quickly.

Schedule some time to be a sloth. Watch TV, or read a book. Try to make your breaks productive, learning something new and fun.  

A work/life balance isn’t the easiest thing to achieve, but with perseverance it can happen, and make you a well-rounded and happy person!