What They Don’t Tell You In J-School

After a little more than a full week at my new job I was hit with some startling realities. While I felt academically and professionally prepared for my position at a local PR firm, I was not aware of the personal changes that would also occur.

I expected that the aggravating sound of a 6 a.m. alarm would accompany my new post, but I had no idea what that alarm would do to my social life. When my roommates were getting ready to go out to the bars or to a late movie, I was tucking into bed so I could get eight hours of sleep.

If like me you choose to forego pool time and late-night gallivanting to work straight out of college, you have to understand that this newfound professionalism comes at a price. It's not easy but will have to be insightful enough to decide whether or not that price is worth it to you.

Personally, I knew hat if I took a year off to travel or hang around I wouldn't have enjoyed it because I would have been sick with worry about finding a job when I came back. I have friends who need time to find their passion and focus. For them, a year of travel is perfect. You just have to know yourself well enough to figure out which personality type you are and what you need.

The next thing I discovered that they won't tell you in journalism class is that a full-fledged  PR career won't happen right away. Your professors prepare you for the best possible scenario: you getting a job as a strategic planner who spends their day writing. This may happen but more than likely you will spend your first days, weeks or even months on projects that best suit a first year intern.

My advice? Don't freak out (like I did), thinking that the rest of your public relations career will be spent transcribing old brochure copy. You're fresh out of college and your new employers want to ease you in and get you familiar with clients. At first I thought that looking over old collateral material was a sign that my boss thought I was an idiot. Now I see that my task was actually helpful to our Web designer and also gave me insight into one of our biggest clients. Trust your supervisor- they're in charge for a reason.

The last thing that I was surprised by was the knowledge that I was in fact, not an adult yet. Sure, I got up at 6 a.m. and have swapped my t-shirts for button downs and slacks, but I still enjoy bad TV, spend hours talking with my friends about nothing and continue to be alluded by the concept of the stock market. Having a 9 to 5 job has not suddenly transformed me into a soccer mom with a 401-k. I hope to be able to be that one day, but for now I am happy to report that I am still a 21 year-old who is still searching for her path in life- and having a hell of a good time doing it.