给大学毕业生的7个建议

 　　I'm now a little more than two years out of college. When I graduated, I was new to town, living alone in a small apartment and about to start grad school. Today, I'm a grad school dropout¹, living with my boyfriend in a slightly larger apartment, and on my second job.

　　Let's just say that life after college should have a subtitle—trial by fire, I'd call it—and that you learn a lot. These seven tips will help you keep it all in perspective.

　　Keep in touch with your friends. The people you spent four or so years with? They're the best friends you'll ever have—trust me on this. Send cards for birthdays, set up Skype dates, and travel to see one another. It's hard making friends without the wonderful, semi-artificial environment of college, and having a support network is one of the most important things when you're stepping out on your own.

　　But make an effort to meet new people. Most of us recent grads don't live in the same cities as our friends. Go to networking events, go to meetings. (I met one of my friends when we were leaving a Junior League interest meeting, even though neither of us ended up joining.) Become accustomed to carrying on real conversation with new acquaintances—it'll help you both socially and professionally.

　　Don't let weddings get to you. It's tough. Weddings bring up a lot of questions about our own love lives; whether you're single and looking, in a relationship and waiting for the proposal, or just disgruntled over weddings, there's no avoiding weddings or marriage. Get used to it now, because soon you'll be attending a lot of these gatherings². Be happy for your friends, and either learn to be content with your own situation or do something about it!

　　Learn how to manage your finances. If you're clueless about 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, or basic budgets, start educating yourself. The one thing missing from most college educations is personal finance, but this is the probably the single most important thing you need to survive.

　　Buy a real wardrobe. If you've played your cards right and allocated³ money in your budget just for shopping, start saving for classic, timeless items. One $300 wool coat in a neutral color with good stitching and construction might give you some sticker shock, but it's a far more savvy⁴ purchase than five $60 cheaply-made coats of synthetic⁵ materials.

　　Find something else to do with your time. Work may give you the resources you need to clothe and feed yourself, but let's face it—it's unlikely to fulfill⁶ you in every way. What should you do instead? Join an organization or a young professionals club, volunteer your time, or find a pet project that sparks your creativity. When you have outside interests, you'll achieve a better balance.

　　Follow your gut⁷. Does a boss seem crazy? Does that guy make you question his intentions? If a decision doesn't feel like the right one, deep down, then it probably isn't. Follow your instinct and let it guide you. Sometimes you might say yes anyway, but always remember when you went with your gut instinct and when you didn't. It'll help you in the future.

1 dropout   

n.退学的学生；退学；退出者

参考例句：

• There is a high dropout rate from some college courses.有些大学课程的退出率很高。
• In the long haul,she'll regret having been a school dropout.她终归会后悔不该中途辍学。

2 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

3 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

4 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

5 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

6 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

7 gut   

n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏

参考例句：

• It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。
• My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。