Life After Brown

Congratulations!

You have completed your education at Brown and are moving on to the next phase of your life. Most of what lies ahead will be an exciting adventure but there are some challenges of which to be aware.

New Life Calendar

For most of your life you have lived an academic calendar. An academic calendar changes every few months (ie, end of semester or end of summer) and then you move on to something new. Life after Brown typically is not paced this way. You may start to feel restless after a few months on a new job or during your fellowship just because you are used to transitioning to something new. Be aware of this possibility and make sure you know the true source of any restlessness.

What’s Next?

For the first time in your life, there is no prescribed timetable for when its time to move on to the next professional endeavor. When is it time to look for a new job? How can you leverage your current position within the same organization? Is it time for graduate school? These are the questions that most of us have to deal with, but they can be unsettling the first time. Our office has helped many alumni answer these questions in order to make decisions with confidence and we encourage you to as well.

Other tips to keep in mind for a successful transition to post college life:

  • Create A Support Group—Life after college can be difficult and at times isolating. Make sure you have friends and family that you can lean on when necessary.
  • Always Do Your Best Work—Many young professionals think the way to discourage supervisors from asking them to do "menial" jobs is to give less than their best effort. The truth is that your best, most professional effort is the smartest way to get more interesting responsible projects.
  • Get Feedback—What do your co-workers and supervisors truly think about your work and how can you improve? Ask them.
  • Network—Join your local Brown Alumni Chapter not only to meet people and enhance your social life but to get career advice as well. Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn are a smart way to stay connected as well. Don’t wait until you need these relationships to begin to develop them.