Don’t Be a Cliché If You’re Gonna Do This
Article Type: Quick and Dirty

Graduating high school is a wonderful thing. Something you should be proud of, so go ahead and pat yourself on the back. You just upped your average salary chance by about ten grand a year, which sounds pretty good.

Of course, there are downsides too.  Almost three million other teenagers are graduating high school this year too, which means there is a big chance you could end up a clichéd graduate, working a dead-end job or mourning the loss of your days as the star of the school musicals. Don’t fall into one of these traps.

-The Nostalgic: High school can be an awesome time. Maybe you helped win the state soccer championship. Maybe your girlfriend or boyfriend was the most popular person in school...or better yet, you were the most popular person. As awesome as that was, a few years down the road, it probably won’t matter that much.

-The Perpetual Minimum Wager: Yes, job prospects can be more difficult to come by when your education ends with a high school diploma. And yes, entry-level jobs do tend to have a high turnover rate. But that doesn’t mean you need to fall into that vicious cycle. If you are entering the world of work, try some jobs on for size. Find one you like and work hard at it. Maintaining a job is your key to moving up the ladder of responsibility (and pay). Otherwise, you’ll always be the newbie.

-The Voice from the Basement: “Mom! Make me a sandwich!” First of all, say please. Second, why are you living down there? You’re 26 years old for crying out loud. We know rent can be expensive, but it’s time you cut the cord. Find an apartment. Share one with a friend. You don’t want to be 30 and still sleeping on the sofa bed. Do you? Make your own sandwich.