Post-Grad Life: Month 3

Real life hit me quick at the end of August. As soon as I returned to Maryland after a quick trip home, post-grad life really started to happen... I was thrown back into work at my office and I also started my MBA classes and had tons of work to do for my editing job with a local newspaper. Needless to say... this week has been quite hectic and I am exhausted. What a busy week to end a busy month!

So here is a quick update on my life, post-graduation:

Work: 

• Now that undergraduate students are back on campus, I am back to doing normal social media posts and covering events for my university. It is actually kind of nice to have people around!

Daytrip to Annapolis, Maryland (a poor college-grad's vacation)

This is my very first post-graduate summer vacation. Summers no longer mean automatic vacation... which means that poor peasant mba students work through the season as if it were any other. It is hard to stay positive when you are inside for most of the daylight hours, and you do not have an exciting summer beach vacation planned to look forward to. It feels as if this summer is just slipping away as I spend my days in the office, and I have not even gotten the slightest bit bronze. 

Making my new home my own

Although I totally enjoyed myself while I was on my wonderful European adventure with my parents, there was always a lurking anxiety when I thought of returning to the USA. I knew that I had a total of five days to return to my hometown, unpack, do laundry, organize, repack, say goodbye to friends and family, and move to my new apartment in Maryland. There was just so much to do in such a short period of time. 

My first post-grad summer!

Looks like we made it!

Although it is still hard for even me to believe, I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communication studies and Spanish this past weekend! Four years of hard work and a great college experience had led me to this point. It is an overwhelming feeling which can really only be summed up as bittersweet.
Finals week was a total blur for me and the weekend that followed was full of events such as senior formal, a Baccalaureate Mass, and graduation on Sunday. I remember seeing all my friends walk across stage, and then waiting for the moment where my name was called. I don't actually remember the walk, but I was assured by my friends and family that the announcer read off both of my degrees and I definitely did not trip. Thank goodness!
After graduation, my life still moved at the speed of light. I had to pack up all of my stuff from my dorm room and put it in storage for the summer, since I will be moving back to Maryland in June. I also had to say goodbye to all of my lovely friends for an undetermined amount of time, which was as hard as you can believe it to be. I then made the six to seven hour drive home by car, which left me exhausted.
I got more sleep during my first few nights at home than I had for all of the week before graduation... and this seemed to be the general experience for graduating seniors.
Now that I am home, I am preparing to enjoy a shortened summer break, though one that will be full of adventures and excitement. (I will be posting on my upcoming trip soon!)
After I return from my trip, it will be a quick transition and move back South, to my college town, where I will be moving in to my first real apartment and starting summer work for my university, as well as beginning some prerequisite courses for my MBA... I will definitely be posting all about these exciting transitions later on!
For now, I will focus on unpacking my school supplies and immediately packing up again for my trip.
Stay tuned!

The hunt: My first apartment

     I am both thrilled and relieved to announce that I have figured out a plan for myself after graduation in May! If you have been in my position of being a second-semester senior, about to graduate with a Bachelor's degree and no plans in sight, then you know just how much better I am feeling now that I know that I will be doing something.
     I have never felt more blessed than the moment I realized that I had a plan. It was a whole lot of "being in the right place, at the right time." I had decided to apply to do an internship during my final semester at my university's office of communication. After I got the internship and began working, I was offered a Grad Assistant position, which will be covering the cost for an MBA. I will also be working as a managing editor of a local newspaper.
     Although I do feel incredibly lucky and glad, this new stage in my life is coming up very quickly, and it is a teeny tiny bit overwhelming. Now, I have to really prepare myself for my latest transition, and a very intimidating part of the real world:

     Apartment Hunting 

     My university and future place of employment are located in a tiny town, almost in the middle of nowhere. I recently found out that it is almost impossible to find open apartments for rent online... there are virtually none listed. Most of these kinds of transactions happen by word of mouth around here.
     I was lucky enough to know someone who will be moving out of a two-bedroom apartment at the end of this semester, so I visited with a friend/potential roommate last week. We were not completely sold on the apartment, and we also may be having a third roommate, so we are not sure if this will work out. Now, I have moved on to looking for town houses/bigger apartments in the area. I am also considering a larger town that is relatively close by. We shall see what happens.
     Before I actually started looking for apartments, I thought the process would be relatively painless and I would find a cute, quaint, cheap apartment for rent in no time. Unfortunately, these kinds of things take a lot of patience and I have come to terms with the fact that I will not likely be able to buy my dream apartment just yet.
     Luckily, I feel very supported by friends, the people in my office, and those who I know in the community. Through them, I have been able to be in contact with around four possible places for next year, and I am now working on talking to my potential roommates to see how they feel about these places. I really feel like a grown up now, and the whole idea of living in the "real world" is becoming more and more real by the minute.
     Honestly, I am most excited to decorate my future apartment... even though my budget is very small. I have already started listing some tips and decoration ideas on my "Living Little" Pinterest board.
     Do you have any tips for me about looking for my first apartment?