You constantly hear students around the world say, “I can’t wait until I graduate and it’s all over. The reality, though, is that college life doesn’t compare to adult life with a real job. In fact, my life consisted of non-stop job applications, 7 days a week, until I finally got my first job. Four years of full-time college were the best years of my life. But after graduating and entering the real world, I quickly realized that I had missed a lot of lessons in school that I needed to learn quickly. Here are some lessons from a recent graduate about life after high school. As a college student, you may not be able to wait for graduation. *The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Student Life Network or its affiliates. Say goodbye to reading weeks, weekends, three-day weekends, sleepovers, and other luxuries you took for granted during your college years. I quickly learned that with experience, the pay becomes higher and the income becomes a reality, especially when you consider the cost of all those adult things like apartments and groceries. There were days when I didn’t understand or appreciate it, but now, as a recent college graduate, I know that. You can finally say goodbye to the feckless days of college and look forward to a steady paycheck and a comfortable full-time job. Leaving college life behind made me feel like a dream come true.