I know it’s only October and it’s easy to get distracted, HALLOWEEN, but for seniors, and every student for that matter, it’s important to be thinking about life outside of WSC.

I graduated college early last year, only attending college for 2.5 years, with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice and got a job over the summer before deciding to come back to WSC and obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.

So I do have experience of life after graduation, and hopefully some of these tips help.

Here is a list of five hints on what you need to be looking at before you graduate.

1. The Job Search: One mistake I have noticed is that when graduation approaches, seniors are not looking at what career they will have after they graduate.
I would say it is good to start looking a month or even two before graduation in general to apply for jobs.

Just follow these steps: get your resume ready, go to career fairs even as freshman, research the company or place you are applying to, and make sure you send your resume to multiple companies and places.

It is difficult to find your first job out of college, so apply to many places, and Career Services can help.

2. Housing: Make sure you have a place to live before accepting a job or saying you will be able to move. Also make sure you are able to afford where you are living with your salary, considering location and costs.

3. Get to Know Where You’re Moving: When I graduated I worked for a place called Owens and Associates, and I was doing supervised visitation driving kids around Omaha to see their parent or relative.

I am from a small town, so driving around Omaha was a BIG difference.

Omaha also has bad areas, so it could have been bad to live in a dangerous place. Learn these bad areas and what’s typical for where you’re moving.

4. Learn About Your Financial Situation: Make sure you can afford where you live, what you eat, and your whole lifestyle. Make sure you understand your financial situation even if someone has to explain it to you.

5. BE HAPPY!!!: Make sure you are happy with your job and where you are. As long as you figure that out, things will turn out just fine.