Congratulations Class of 2020! In the spirit of graduation, the BID team is sharing our best advice for post-grad life. Whether you're fresh out of high school, college, grad school, or not, we hope that you take away something useful from this week's Take Our Word For It.
“My best fresh out of college career advice is: Remember that you probably aren’t going to land your “dream job” as a brand-new college grad so, just keep discovering what you love and treat every day as an opportunity to learn something new.”
Grace Aucella, Parks Events & Marketing Manager
“Live with roommates as long as you can. It saves tons of money and that’s a huge help when you have student loans or you’re just starting out. If you can scrape together some money to buy a place, do it as soon as you can and pack it full of roommates to pay your mortgage. Great way to build wealth, live in it for two years, and then buy another house = house hacking.”
Susan Hampton, Public Realm Director
“Congratulations Graduates! Don’t let the events during the final months of high school, college, or grad school define you and your cohort. I’m certain that the ultimate outcomes of these imperfect experiences would soon realize, generating unique perspectives and new ways of tackling the insurmountable challenges in the world. Don’t let the #InThisTogether movement devolve into another cant hashtag. Instead, accept it as a solemn vow to work with each other and lend a helping hand to those that may be left behind. After all, we are Class of 2020 the Greatest Cohort.”
Jeff Jamawat, Planning & Development Manager
“I'm still figuring all this adulthood stuff out myself, some 15 years in, but if I were to give my younger self (and current and future self) advice it would be this: be flexible, be patient, listen more than you talk, and take time to focus energy on the people you care about.”
Ted Jutras, Vice President of Planning & Development
“My advice for the 2020 graduates, including myself, would be to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Do something that scares you. Move to a new city. Accept the job you love even if it doesn’t align with your degree. Do what you’ve always dreamt of. If you do some or all of those things and you fail, it's okay, that's how you’ll grow.”
Emily Mangum, Communications Coordinator
“Add some positivity to the world. Every day, and even better when you see the opportunity – let a cashier or barista or waiter or pharmacist in your day know that you appreciate them taking care of you. Share a nice comment with them and always be polite. This is easy to do. The recipient will feel valued. Others will pick up on this behavior and think highly of you.”
Dan Melman, Parks & Finance Director
“1) Travel and explore the world and always ask questions. Spend time with your parents, as they will not always be with you and are a wealth of experience. Begin contributing to your retirement accounts now, it is never too early to do so. Exercise and take care of your health. Consider working in the public sector at some point early in your profession – federal, state, or local – to be given responsibility and learn how your government works…an invaluable lesson that can shape your career path.”
Michael Stevens, President
“Never be afraid of going against the grain, doing what you love, and most importantly failing. As the wise Oprah once said, ‘Failure is an opportunity to move yourself in a different direction.’”
Bonnie Trein, Communications Director & Chief of Staff