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I recently had one of my college friends tell me that although my blog was great and all, that she found it hard to relate and didn’t really think that it was relevant to her at this time of her life. I was taken a little aback, am I that far removed from college that my message had lost its relevance? (Wow time flies!) Have I gotten so caught up in being a young professional that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a college student? Sure this past weekend when I was up visiting the alma mater (UNC…Go Heels!) I never made it out past midnight but I still think I remember what it’s like to be a college student!

This post goes out to all the college students who read my blog. For those young professionals like me who are out of college, perhaps it’ll help you reminiscent a little about the good college times! Here are three ways I believe my blog to still be relevant and helpful to younger readers:

1) You’ll be a YoPro before you know it:

College, certainly some people will tell you, is one of the best times of your life. Unfortunately though, those 4 years (or 5 for those taking a victory lap) fly by faster than you think. You’ll blink and be out in the real world. Suddenly you’ll have: rent, bills, auto insurance, groceries to buy and a 40+ hour work week! At least back when I was in school, there wasn’t a class to help seniors transition into the real world and there’s so many things you quickly need to learn when you get on the other side. Do yourself a favor and take a little time to prepare for the next stage in life, by learning some simple skills that’ll help you succeed.

2) If you can’t manage a little money now, what about later when you have more?

Oh my college times. I was so carefree and had so little to worry about. I had a meal plan courtesy of my parents and the most expensive place I went out to eat was the Asian buffet where for $10 ($9 with a student ID) I could eat all the cheap Asian food I wanted. I didn’t have any bills and the only expenses on my credit card were the occasional movie or meal out.  I fortunately had some financial sense and did keep a budget when I was in school. I didn’t have a year-long job but did work all summer to make enough money to last me throughout the year. I came in every year with $X number of dollars and somehow had to find a way to make it last me throughout the year.

By learning to manage a little bit of money while in college, you’ll avoid the ‘sink-or-swim’ mentality when you get out into the real world and actually have a young professional’s salary to manage.

3) Same rules apply

Whether you’re making minimum wage or $100K per year, the same personal finance rules apply. We all have income and bills to pay. Going out to eat and hanging with friends are regular things we like to do. I know it’d be easy in college to just not worry about finances or money but you can’t really live your life in a bubble or under a rock. Learn to be smart with your money and you’ll learn how to always be able to enjoy it.

Although you certainly have less financial worries while in college, you will have them when you get out, and that day will be here before you know it. Getting in good financial habits now will benefit you for the rest of your life!

Finally- when in college, student loans are almost certainly part of your college experience. When used responsibly, student loans can get you a quality education which will hopefully lead to a quality job and a successful life. If you’re familiar with student loans, you’re probably also familiar with the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you’re not familiar with it, you should be! Depending on your situation, it might mean free money which is a huge win at any stage of life (but especially college)! If you’re curious to learn more, here’s a helpful (ok it’s actually called the ultimate, and for good reason) guide to the FAFSA, containing helpful info to learn more and directly apply it! Shoutout to the CreditLoan for putting together such a good guide!