Welcome Aboard That First Year

QUIZ TIIIIIIIIME!

How to know if That First Year is for you:

Do you feel pressured by your parents/friends/professors/society to follow that stereotypical 9 to 5?

Have you accepted that you will be “that girl” at parties where people say “Awww...poor thing” when you tell them about your totally awesome (terrible paying) dream job?

Do you like smart and sassy tidbits and tales about life?

Are you looking for blog posts that are authentic and relevant to what you’re actually going through post-graduation?

If you answered yes to any (or all) of the above, then That First Year is for you.

“But…” you say with a quizzical look as you lightly stroke your chin and furrow your brows. “What exactly is That First Year?”

Allow us to explain.

This summer, as I - Ally (hi!) - was ruminating on the fact that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life after my quickly-approaching graduation, I had a slight epiphany… if you can even call it that. It occurred to me that a large number of my peers share my unease with graduation and the unknown that follows, yet there isn’t much accurate representation of this stage of life out there on the World Wide Internetz. Sure, there are plenty of Buzzfeed-type articles along the lines of “22 Things You Should Do at 22,” but where are the stories of young women like myself experiencing That First Year after college as it's happening?

So along came the idea for this blog. That First Year is a platform for rad gals to share with others their life-changing, dizzying, difficult, exciting and confusing experiences of That First Year after college as it’s happening. My hope is that as tidbits and tales are exchanged, we – writers and readers alike - can learn from one another and have those “wow, you feel that way too?!” moments together.

This blog will have two aspects to it – “From the Trenches” and “Been There, Done That.”

The “From the Trenches” portion will follow various writers during their first calendar year after graduation. This blog won’t serve as an entire exposé of these writers’ personal lives, per se; rather, it will be a chance for these writers to share the life lessons that are bound to come along with such a transition-heavy year.

Topics may include: “My First Budget,” “Lipstick Can Actually Stain Clothes,” “Coffee: Admitting Your Addiction Is The First Step,” “My Dream Job: What Is That Even?” and the ever popular “LOL-HELP-ME-SOS-911-I-HAVE-NO-CLUE-WHAT-I-AM-DOING-I-GUESS-MOVING-BACK-WITH-MY-PARENTS-OR-MOVING-TO-EUROPE-OR-STAYING-IN-SCHOOL-OR-IDK-LOL.”

The “Been There, Done That” section will feature guest posts from survivors who have made it through That First Year relatively unscathed and are here to offer a pat on the back and an encouraging word or two.

We, the ladies of That First Year, want to welcome readers of all different backgrounds and walks of life because variety makes life interesting.

We want to help you feel like you aren’t alone in this crazy post-graduation world. We cherish you and your story and hope you’ll let us become a part of your exciting adventure.

With Love,

Ally & Kendall, That First Year Co-Founders