Emma Dolson/Old Gold & Black

Here are six things I’ve learned from being in the real world for a whole 5 days (!!!):

1. Days are long and you are freakin’ tired when you get home.

I can’t remember the last time I was excited to go to bed at 9:30 p.m. But it has already happened twice this week.

2. Eating lunch by yourself isn’t that bad.

College me would never go into the dining hall unless I knew I was meeting someone there. Grown up me* already ate by myself a couple times this week, and it was actually very nice. No forced small talk, no need to use manners, no worries that someone you know will see you sitting by yourself. I don’t know anyone yet, so there’s nothing to worry about!

*Isn’t that amazing?! In just two weeks, I transformed from college me to grown up me! So much knowledge gained in the two-week interim between graduation and Day One on the job.**

**If only it were that simple.

3. No homework on the weekends is awesome.

Nothing more needs to be said about that.

4. Your parents are going to push you to max out your 401k.

I guess I haven’t learned the value of this quite yet, but I’ll just have to trust my parents on this one.

5. Work friends are going to be different than any friends I have made before this.

I do not (or cannot) live with them, or (truly) gossip with them, or date them, or talk about wanting a new job with them, or take selfies in the bathroom at a bar with them (not yet, anyway), or fully explain my relationship with my college friends to them. Moving onto a new stage of my life, I guess, means I win some and I lose some.

6. “Entry-level employment” and “internship” might be interchangeable.

Just be prepared for that – at least in the beginning. I will say, though, that as tedious as it might sometimes be, I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. This way, I’ll become a pro at the easy stuff – perhaps more of a pro than someone who was hired directly into a higher position. In my position now, I’ll have time to master the basics, learn the ins and outs of the company, and build up my potential in my boss’ eyes. All of which will make me a better candidate down the line. Everyone has to put in their time.

To anyone who has already started working: Congrats on starting this new chapter

To anyone who doesn’t have a job yet: Don’t get discouraged! Enjoy the time off, read a book, go for a run, stay up late. Because once you get a 9-5 job, you won’t be able to stay up past 10 p.m.