Life's Tough; Secure That Helmet

Life can be tough when you realize the party is officially over. You have to trade in your scrubs for rayon pants and jackets, bills now come to the door in your name (and your name alone), and drinks cost more than the spare change at the bottom of your bag. Not to mention your new roommates, Mom and Dad, don't have quite the spunk of your old ones that you shared many a cold tiled bathroom floor with. Ain't no doubt about it, when the lights are flicked back on and everyone clears out, it's a hard adjustment for the eyes.

The good news is, most people survive the transition, and it doesn't have to be so bad. Now I realize it's easy for me to say this because I have always been a big fan of the 6:00 A.M. wake up call. After all, the early bird does get the worm. In order to actually get this worm though, one must be proactive and make the necessary actions to become an upstanding member of society. No, it doesn't just come in an App. However, Jim Gallagher of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch* in this weekend's Sunday's paper, gave some useful advice for college grads.

1. Live like a poor student


Simple and affordable, and best of all you'll always have leftovers. Hopefully.

2. Save money

3. Find work

4. Wherever you land, live cheap


Who needs furniture? Work with what you've got.

5. Drive a dent-mobile
It ain't pretty, but it gets to the destination. And that's just fine.

6. Get a credit card

The thing is most of us grew up during a time of great economic growth, and were afforded a great lifestyle, free of care, from our parents. Things have changed, and many of these parents are now sadly paying the consequences. As Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young once said, "Teach Your Children Well." Right now, we're all learning. Many of the above mentioned tips are great lessons older generations have taught us. As my plate is becoming more and more full with responsibilities and real adult situations, I am finding the more within my limits and means, the easier it is to get to. Don't let yourself get too far away. Make some mistakes (they'll be funny when you're older), explore the sale sections, and as always read that morning paper.

*For the complete article by Jim Gallagher, please refer to the following: http://tinyurl.com/nmotqw