Over the past few weeks, my Instagram feed has been flooded with graduation photos from dear friends, acquaintances, and a few wait-how-do-I-know-you followers. Many graduated from my alma mater, Southern Methodist University, and others were scattered at universities across the country.

Suddenly, there were proud—and very active—butterflies fluttering in my stomach. It struck me that I’ve been out of college for two years now. Two years of real, official, tax-abiding, bill-paying adulthood. That’s not an extraordinary portion of time, yet these two years of young adulthood are pivotal.

In many ways, this season feels borderline eternal. When will I get to the next step of life? When will I get married? Wait, how do I date as a young professional? Will I always be at this job? Where will my first house be and when will I buy it?

No one can prepare you for life after college. You can’t experience it until you experience it, and I haven’t found many “How to Survive and Thrive After College” handbooks (I haven’t found any, actually, so if you have, please let your girl know).

Personally, there are a few things I think would have been helpful to know before jumping into the abyss that is life after college. There are things I wish people would have talked about. There are things I wish I didn’t have to learn the hard way. There are things I wish I would have done differently. Such is life, though—there’s never a tidy, perfect path forward, and there never will be.

As I’ve reflected on how I’ve grown and changed in the past two years, I’ve collected a handful of shiny—but most importantly, learned-through-trial-and-error—pieces of wisdom I wish I would have had on graduation day.

 I fully believe in learning as we go and know that whatever God calls us to and wherever He leads us, He will equip us. Forever and always. At the same time, I believe in the power of wisdom and a sound mind. Since I couldn’t learn these tidbits ahead of time myself, I hope they empower you. No matter what season you’re in, feel free to take one or two of these gleanings and keep them in your back pocket for a future season of change. Mostly, I pray these ideas reinvigorate you to take authority of your life. May we all live with deep-rooted faith, obedience, and freedom.

01: You get to call the shots. 

Yep. Welcome to being Chief Decision Officer of your home and life. Applying to a new job? Packing up and moving across the city, state, or country? Cake for breakfast? All things you can do at any moment. You answer to you. There are a lot of decisions to be made—your internet provider, which grocery store will be your go-to market, and how to spend your time outside of work. But there’s no reason to fear. Partnered with God, you have the authority to cultivate the life you want. This is exciting!

02: You’re not a slave to your job, circumstances, or life. 

There’s really no such thing as being stuck. If something’s not working—your job, a friendship, a habit—you can change it. You get to call the shots, remember? I’m not suggesting you jump ship at the first sign of something getting hard or you run away from conflict but know that your job and circumstances aren’t your whole life. You are the captain of the ship and are forging a way forward—consciously or not. Are you going where God is leading? Where do you feel called? Where can you use your gifts—even if it’s not your current job? These are important questions to ask yourself every once and awhile.

03: Your friendships and community will change completely.

There’s no way around it. The transition from living in a house with 40 girls to a studio apartment in Uptown is quite the shift. While there is real sorrow and loneliness that comes with this reality, you get to create new rhythms in your relationships. Having a hard time finding a good day to hang out with one of your best friends? Invite her to go grocery shopping. Meet up for a walk before work. Find new times and ways to connect with the people that matter most to you, even if it’s different than it used to be. It won’t just happen—you must choose it. Plus, you will meet amazing people along the way and forge new friendships that will change you from the inside out.

04: The Dave Ramsey EveryDollar App is a lifesaver. 

Girl, you don’t need your fourth decaf cappuccino of this week. And how will you know? The Dave Ramsey EveryDollar app. Balancing a new, shiny full-time income is exciting, but without boundaries—or even just self-awareness—it can be frivolous. This app is a game-changer and will not only keep you living within your means but help you reach financial goals you didn’t know were possible at this stage in life. Stay honest and consistent here. It’s worth it.

05: Just because you don’t get a “summer break” doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the summer—or any season. 

Your life is what you make it. You may not have long periods off anymore (at least, not as a whole company), but that doesn’t mean an intentional and adventurous season isn’t available to you. Again, you have some more autonomy here than you might think. If you’re not experiencing any joy or excitement in your days or weeks, get some things on the calendar. Plan a roadtrip with a friend, book a flight home midsummer, and spend as much time as possible by the pool. Plus, you do have vacation days. Utilize them!

06: Just like college was a once-in-a-lifetime season, so are these post-grad years. 

Technically, this is true of every season in life. The future is chock-full of more responsibilities, joys, and changes—be it marriage, motherhood, owning a business, new roles at work, moving, etc. Even though there are more responsibilities in your life right now than there were in college, take advantage of these years as a single woman. This is the time to pursue your passions and thank God for your flexible calendar.

07: How you need to nourish your body, mind, and soul will change. 

As you adjust to a new schedule and space, you’ll need to reevaluate your sleep schedule, the exercise and foods that energize you, when you connect with God, and other habits that support your well-being. In this new season, supporting your health will look different. You don’t need to be scared of it—you get to cultivate life-giving habits. That’s empowering! You get to call the shots, remember?

08: It will all be okay. 

Really. It will. I know this is a boatload of change, and it’s easy to think you’re drowning in the unknown waters of your future. But you don’t have to figure out your whole life in the first year after college (spoiler alert: you’ll never have to figure out your whole life in one sitting). Take a deep breath, say a prayer, go on a walk. Whatever big things you’re feeling—fear, grief, loneliness—won’t last forever.

09: In two years from now, you’ll be amazed at how much God’s done and how much you’ve grown. 

When you’re determined to grow and become stronger, healthier, and more faithful every day—which I know you are—two years is a lifetime for holiness to take root. So many miraculous, wonderful things can—and will—happen in your life over the next two years. You will meet unexpected, incredible people, and you will shake off what’s no longer helping you flourish. When you’re with Jesus, life is truly an adventure, and I hope you soak up every moment.