For those of you who have not yet entered the workforce, I'll just tell you now that you'll be shocked by how ridiculous real life can be. Here are some tough lessons you'll wish you learned beforehand:
- Take criticism even when you are in a position to give it. You'll get it anyway.
- Amazing performance will probably raise your boss's expectations, but it is unlikely to raise your salary or offer you any type of job security. Keep a steady pace.
- Watch Survivor. If you can't handle that kind of weird crap, you'll be as shocked as I am at how immature "grownups" are. In school you work with the best of people—think of every group project problem you've ever had, and be prepared for much worse.
- There are no fair grades. The semester never ends. Right answers keep you at zero; wrong ones count as negatives against your total score.
- Your position on the curve is not objectively calculated, and even public opinion cannot save you.
- A real job is less about living your dream than it is about jumping through hoops, playing social games, and making sure you're good looking enough that people like you, but not so good looking that people are jealous.
- If you don't know who your friends are, you don't have any.
- Trading happiness and good relationships at home for success at work is about as likely to bring you joy as your childhood fantasy of running away with the circus.
- And in your job circus, the executives aren't the lion tamers. They are the lions.
- You will love a regular paycheck, you'll have much less homework, and debt is easily avoidable. On the downside, the monotony may kill you.
1 comment:
Yes, I have seen The Alliance. That was an easy question to answer, as I've seen every episode at least 4 times.
Isn't it depressing how immature adults are? I've been reminded of this traveling on Southwest--that brings out the elementary-schooler in who *should* be the most mature adults. Sigh.
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