7 Tips For The Graduates Of 2014
I decided to ask complete strangers for a piece of advice they wished someone had told them right after they graduated -- and the result was beautiful.
By 
Helen Zhang
Below, a list of 7 tips for the graduates of 2014:
1. “Don’t give up. Don’t let your doubts get the best of you.”
Oftentimes people cower in the shadows of doubt because they are afraid of failure. But realize that each failure is a lesson learned and that an unsuccessful attempt to do something is better than not attempting at all.
2. “Take it slow.”
After years of rigorous studying, papers, and exams, jumping right into the working world may not be the best idea. Don’t forget to live life! Having life experience is equally as valuable as your education. Taking a break after college can help refresh your mind as well as help you find the precise direction in which you want to go.
3. “Your major doesn’t define you.”
Graduates may feel pressured to get a job or build a career in their major. But the truth is, 80% of graduates end up with a career in a completely different field than they majored in only 5 years after graduation.
4. “Get to know yourself.”
Who are you? Where do your passions lie? What makes you proud? These are questions only you can answer. Whatever you feel your purpose is in life, it should be completely independent of your parents’ or relatives’ idea of who you were destined to become. Make a name for yourself and not for someone else.
5. “Don’t be upset if the dream job doesn’t happen right away.”
This is not to say that you can’t get your dream job right after you graduate, but just to instill the notion that everything takes time. At first it is very likely that you will start with an entry level job that may feel like a complete waste of time, but this is part of the process. Only hard work and true passion can promise you your dream career.
6. “Bad news always travel ten times faster than good news.”
This is a truth and you must learn to embrace it. Do not let the words and opinions of others discourage you from proving them wrong. People are naturally quicker to point and laugh at a fall than they are to applaud a feat. Whatever someone else thinks is completely irrelevant to your potential for success.
7. “Hustle while you’re young.”
Keep yourself open to new possibilities — don’t be afraid to take risks. And by risks I mean good risks; not the type of risks that get you caught up in drugs or breaking the law. When presented with an opportunity to start a company, join a network, or get in on the early stages of the “next best thing” — take it! Don’t dwell on it too long only to regret not jumping on it sooner. 
