The post-graduation years are an exciting but uncertain time. You might need to learn a new job, adjust to another city and make friends while trying to live independently and earn respect as a bona fide adult. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and constantly wonder if you’re doing it right. Fortunately, many have gone before us and shared their wisdom. I gained confidence and learned four valuable lessons from four books in those early years after university.
1. Learning to live like an adult
Adulting: how to become a grown-up in 535 easy(ish) steps by Kelly Williams Brown
Brown wrote this guide when she herself was still a twentysomething finding her way. With wit and a few expletive words she shares very practical advice on the minutiae of adult life from cooking to buying a car to getting along with neighbours and family. Her tips on attending parties filled with strangers are a godsend for us socially awkward folk.
2. Learning how to make decisions
The defining decade: why your twenties matter and how to make the most of them now by Meg Jay
Jay is a clinical psychologist who counsels those in their twenties. She makes a strong case against aimless experimentation during our twenties and is in favour of building the careers, relationships and families we want. She convinced me that doing an advanced degree or accepting a less-than-ideal-but-still-good job is usually much better than staying in place waiting for inspiration to strike. Her counsel is blunt, but the research and her clients’ stories back her up. She summarises her ideas in a Ted talk.
3. Learning where the action is
Who’s your city?: how the creative economy is making where to live the most important decision of your life by Richard Florida
Florida argues that the world is not entirely flat. A mere handful of regions account for a disproportionate amount of economic output worldwide. Even with technological advances, place will still matter in the post-COVID world. Your choice about where to live and work might greatly affect your career prospects and overall quality of life.
4. Learning about myself
Millenneagram: the enneagram guide for discovering your truest, baddest self by Hannah Paasch
Your enneagram type often overlaps with your personality, but they are not the same thing. Rather, it’s a snapshot of your values and lifestyle. I knew that other people think like me, but it was an eye-opener to discover that there are so many of them! Paasch gives vivid examples of each type and breaks down their strengths and weaknesses like a very wise bestie who also likes some expletive words.
As another sage said, “The rest is still unwritten.” My favourite part of adulthood is writing my own story. I chose my postgraduate school, flat, career, car and more. It can be daunting, and there will be setbacks. But if you’re willing to learn and maintain a growth mindset, you’re going to be okay.
Note: This article gives the views of the authors, and not the position of the Social Policy Blog, nor of the London School of Economics.
