Whether you’re entering your senior year of college or just walked across the stage last month, there’s never a wrong time to start planning for your future post-graduation. There are many things that you need to be ready to do. While they may seem intimidating, they’re quite manageable. If you are unsure of everything that you need to plan out, keep reading to learn how to prepare for life after college.

Start Up the Job Search

Now that you have your degree, it’s time to put it to good use. The first place you should start is your university’s career center. They have many people and resources to help you, even if you’ve already graduated. Build a stronger resume, go through a mock interview, or get some general advice. Once you feel confident, check out some job and internship fairs.

You don’t have to be at the mercy of the frequency of fairs, however. Thanks to the gift of the internet, millions of jobs are available at the touch of your fingertips. Sites like Indeed, Monster, and Career Builder are excellent ways to find jobs that you would never have otherwise.

Figure Out Where You Want To Live

If you’ve already found a job or internship, this part might have already been decided for you, but sometimes you still get the choice of where you’d like to live, specifically when you get a remote job. It can be intimidating figuring out where you want to start the next chapter of your life since this is the first time you’ve been able to make this choice, but it’s a freeing feeling. You can move somewhere with beautiful weather or a city with a lot of restaurant and entertainment options. The choice is yours!

Regardless of where you move, you still have to decide on a neighborhood, price range, and plenty of other aspects before you do. Don’t be afraid to ask your parents or a trusted friend for their advice on what you should be looking for.

Plan a Budget

The biggest tip on how to prepare for life after college is to create a budget for yourself and live by it. Running low on money is one of the worst feelings for people who are starting out on their own for the first time. Figuring out your potential expenses like rent, groceries, and student loans, and subtracting them from your monthly revenue will help gauge how much extra money you will have for savings and personal expenses.

If you haven’t graduated yet, we still fully encourage you to plan a budget. Figure out how much you’ll likely be making in your field and how much your future expenses might be. This will help you become prepared for the financial burdens that are right around the corner.

Build Your Network

Even though LinkedIn might not be all the rage that it was ten years ago, it’s still important to have one. That way, future employers can get a better idea of who you are professionally instead of personally through other social media sites. Make your profile and find as many connections as you can.

If you know a family member or older friend who has found success in your field, be sure to ask for their help as well. They could have plenty of tips to help you avoid the mistakes they made when they were your age.