Post-Collegiate Plans: Live like a Starving College Student

Before graduating, I imagined post-college life to be something of a paradise. Only 40 hours of work a week! A clean, well-stocked kitchen where I can cook to my hearts' content! No more mathematics! Stylish, comfy furniture and a large bed! All these thoughts coming from a naïve Kim, already living in college paradise. Now that I'm actually in the post-college phase of life, I'm learning some important lessons about living like a poor college student.

1) Salary does not imply 40 hours of work a week. In fact, it could imply 80 hours of work a week, and they don't even need to pay you more for it. Factor in that commute while you're at it, because you won't be spending those hours on your rediscovered passions either. In fact, it's actually starting to resemble your college spare time, now that you think about it...

2) The kitchen may be clean, yes, but well-stocked is an over-statement. The fridge has a jar of salsa, a jar of jelly, a pitcher of water and cheese. We won't even get into the cabinets. All those spiffy kitchen supplies you love cost money, which you don't have, because you're suddenly trying to stock an entire apartment by yourself. Do you really need a mellon-baller or that can of Raid more?

3) Those subjects you hated? Maybe even barely passed? Yeah, you actually do need some of that knowledge. Your boss is not going to be pleased to have to explain to you what a t-test is, so you need to study that text hard before you go into work tomorrow. And if you barely passed the class 3 years ago, it's going to be a long night of studying.

4) Furniture, like cookware and food, is also expensive and takes a long time to deliver. Those floor pillows from your dorm room are now your bed until you can afford a mattress. Good thing you brought a lamp, too, since the apartment isn't big on built in lighting. Saves them on expenses that can be passed onto you. You'll get that furniture someday, and maybe be able to upgrade from sleeping on the floor to sleeping on your couch. Awesome.

These things are not to imply that I'm not really happy in my new circumstances, because I certainly am, but oh, did college not prepare me for the reality of feeding myself on $0.30 a day. When I start dreaming about cantankerous Kaverne making me a half-assed omelet, I may splurge and eat fast food. Then again, maybe this week's luxury item of $0.88 barbeque sauce will hold me over until that first paycheck and the real apartment stocking begins. The math will come back with time, too, and luckily college did teach me how to teach myself.

The hours, though, well, those will continue to be just like college.