To the Class of 2010: YOU DID IT!

From your family here at Her Journey we want to wish the Class of 2010 a HAPPY GRADUATION! All your hard work has paid off and we are so glad to share in this milestone with you. Be reminded that Her Journey is here to support you in all your after-college concerns, curiosities and aspirations. Please check back with us every Monday for Motivational Mondays, check out our experts advice for the graduating class (click HERE and HERE), as well as some upcoming articles made specifically with you in mind!

Today we are highlighting a few extraordinary graduates who have studied all over the States (from ATL to California). These young women keep us inspired, and so we wanted to share their triumphs with you!

MS. KEILA DAVIS

School: Clark Atlanta University

Major: History

Journey to: Writer and College Professor (Future HJ team member!)

1 Thing She'll Miss Most about School:

"I will miss the people, the food, and overall carefree attitude of college life."

MS. KATHERINE A. KINARD

School: The College of New Jersey

Major: Mathematics (Get them numbers girl!)

Journey to: Entrepreneurship, Business Investor

1 Thing She'll Miss Most about School:

"I will greatly miss the fellowship I shared with members of TCNJ student organization, Gospel United Ministries, as well as my role as Choir Directress of the group."

MS. MARISSA FLAGGSchool: Iona College

Major: Criminal Justice

Journey to: Graduate school at Iona and playing her 5th year of Basketball

1 Thing She'll Miss Most about School: "I'll miss my Criminal Justice classes because I've decided to switch to Public Relations for Graduate School."

MS. OCHELLE ROSS

School: Polytechnic Institute of New York University

Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Journey to: Simulation Systems Engineer for GE Aviation

1 Thing She'll Miss Most About School:
"I'll miss the National Society of Black Engineers. I used it to urge the young African Americans in High School to go into STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) related careers."

MS. DEVEN BOUCHET


School:California State University, Northridge

Major: BA in Television Production

DR. SHALONDA WILLIAMS

School: University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Major: Doctorate of Pharmacy

Journey to: Clinical pharmacist
helping indigent populations in NYC

1 Thing She'll Miss Most About School: "My Friends."

DR. JENNIFER T. WHITLOCK

School: Southwest Baptist University

Major: Physical Therapy

Journey to: Certified Manual Therapist

1 Thing She'll Miss Most About School: "My classmates..they are truly some amazing people."

Thank you ladies for sharing your dreams and accomplishments with Her Journey. As you begin the next chapter of this journey don't forget to pamper yourself, spend time with your loved ones and give back to your communities-- which have all shaped you into the WOWomen you are today!

What encouraging words or tips do you have for 2010's graduating Class? Something you wish you had known when you graduated?

Welcome to the Real World Class of 2010!

Picture it! You're sitting in the audience surrounded by your peers and you're listening to the keynote speaker ramble on about how this is the first step in the beginning of your life, blah, blah, blah. You've already stopped listening. You are just waiting for them to shut up so you can get the degree you've worked so hard for over the past four years, go partying, and most importantly collect your graduation presents.

After all the partying and celebration is done and you are back home, you're going to be wondering: "What the heck am I supposed to do now?"

Well, I have some information I want to bring to your attention that you may not have considered.

1.) Remember all those summer, winter, and spring vacations you had? They are over. When you get a job you'll have two weeks. No, to be exact, it'll be 10 business days (15 if you are lucky).

2.) Prepare for your friends from high school to be the same people or totally different. You may find that whether they have or have not changed, you have and you may start reconsidering whether you want to continue to be friends with them.

3.) You are going to have to earn your parents' respect as an adult. Right now, they may still think of you as a child who needs to be told what to do. Don't get angry, they are just stuck in the good ol' days. In some cases, they may never see you in any other way. Talk to them about what you're both expecting now that you have graduated.

4.) Decide what you want and be committed to getting it done.

5.) Don't let others opinions influence what you decide is good for you.

6.) Calculate your total debt, create a budget, pay it all off while simultaneously saving your money. Use budgeting software such as Mint.com.

7.) Take care of your health. You may have been taking your stellar health and physique for granted. Now is the time to keep working on exercising and eating healthier. Once you've lost your health you may never get it back.

8.) Manage your time. Don't try to get everything done for everyone else. Plan out your schedule, be okay with telling people no, and make time to take care and do things that are enjoyable for you.

9.) Don't just sit behind your computer all day and call that a job search. Go out to networking events, join professional organizations in your industry, and volunteer.

10.) Have fun! This is such an amazing and scary part of your life. But think about it, you have a blank canvas and you can paint whatever you want. What life are you going to create?

These are some of my tips on entering the real world. What tips do you have to share with the Class of 2010?

Photo found here.