Dear Class of 2012,
Let’s start with two hard facts:
1). You’re entering into a Lawn Mower Economy — jobs, salaries, and egos being slashed like grass.
2). People think, somehow, you are to blame.
Gen Y Blame Game
People, like Bret Stephens of the Wall Street Journal, want to label the entire Gen Y generation as entitled, ignorant, and cocky — somehow putting the responsibility solely on your shoulders for the crappy economy you are about to carry.
However, myself and many others in my generation, would disagree.
Stereotyping of race, color, and gender is completely taboo.
Stereotyping Gen Y — somehow is all the rage.
Recession Proof
But Class of 2012, you now have the incredible opportunity to prove all the haters wrong.
You have the opportunity to grab this “Great Recession” by the ears and snarl at.
You will hear lots of advice through this college graduation — some good, some bad.
But Class of 2012, I say the Great Recession is the best thing that could’ve happened to our generation.
Because you now graduate with the opportunity to transform all criticism and become recession proof.
- Picture by Werwin15 – Creative Commons
6 Ways College Grads Can Become Recession Proof
6. Don’t Stop Dreaming When the Dreams Die
Your dreams will die these next few years. It’s not that your dreams are wrong. Your timeline is just off. Even glimpsing your dreams within your 20’s will take x5 longer than you think it should.
To become recession proof the real question is — will you have the courage to keep dreaming when your dreams die?
5. Be Willing to Embarrass Yourself
The fear of embarrassment poisons creativity. The fear of embarrassment lets insecurities call the shots.
The fear of embarrassment feeds our compulsive comparison disorder — embarrassment thriving like a fungus in the petri dish of “what will others think?”
Damn what others think.
Let them exist in the middle.
The best way to avoid embarrassment? Live a mediocre life.
4. Learn what “Great Upward Mobility” really means…
When that employer sells you on the ‘great upward mobility’ of their entry-level job, that’s codeword for “the next two and half years be ready to wipe your rear end with your diploma.”
Just so you’re not embittered and surprised.
But if you bring your creativity, initiative, and drive to that entry-level job, you’ll be able to put your diploma back on the wall in no time.
3. Never. Stop. Learning
The more I learn, the more I realize how much more I need to know.
Don’t stop reading. Don’t stop asking questions. If you feel scared that you really don’t know jack. Good. Keep learning. A college degree is the beginning of your education.
2. Life Might Get Worse Before it Gets Better
Yeah there will be that rare friend who rocks life after college (and loves telling you about it every chance she gets). But they’re the exception not the norm. Sometimes life has to suck before it’s sweet.
Ride out this twentysomething, recession-roller-coaster. You might blow chunks a few times along the ride, but I promise a legit ice cream cone waits for you at the end.
1. If You’re Going to Change the World, Be Ready to Change Yourself.
I was just like you. Excited, biting at the bit to go out and do my big part.
But being a leader. Actually transforming systems, structures, fighting against the evil in this world – this is a lonely, painful, heartbreaking journey. It’s a path strewn with the dead bodies of those who started out starry-eyed, ambitious, swearing that the bullets would never kill them.
So if you do not know yourself. If you can’t trust yourself. If you first haven’t changed. If your worth is based on good grades, accolades, praise, anything external – then as quickly as love for yourself came from success, hate just might as easily come from failure.
You will die many times over on this journey. People, situations, unemployment — all will take their stabs.
When you die, will you keep going?
What do you think about becoming recession proof?
Picture by Werwin15 – Creative Commons
Sad thing now is the college grads are happy to go work for the deficit budget government.
The sad truth is the student loans have to be repaid no matter what and if you don’t pay you do not get social security or other government assistance.
who knows about this when they are filling out the forms at 18 years old.