How much harder is it being in the working world than college?

[Anonymous]

I found it a little soul crushing. Going from spending my days with a degree of autonomy and freedom and movement to spending 8+ hours parked in a chair at a desk, adding on a commute and less than super interesting work was pretty mind and body numbing. It certainly was an adjustment. It wasn’t stressful, just boring.

15 years later I actually really enjoy my job. I still don’t enjoy being chained to a desk, but the work itself is rewarding in a way entry level stuff wasn’t for me. It’s a lot more stressful now though.

[Anonymous]

It's way easier! You actually have money to spend at the end of the day. It's also the easiest time to make friends with other coworkers looking to spend their money at happy hour. Instead of going to random campus events you go to young professional events and have fun.

[Anonymous]

My advice is to really research what you want to do, the environment you want to work in, the money you want to make, etc. Go to your career center asap and ask them to help you figure out what you want.

[Anonymous]

It’s easier and there are few tests/homework. But partly that’s because you are working way more hours. 8-10 hrs a day, commute, 49 weeks a year (assuming you get 3 weeks of leave - i got 2 weeks my first job and it was soul crushing).

Also then there’s adulting, cooking, cleaning, 401k, etc

Then you have kids and basically it’s a slog for 20 years (love my kids but time suck like no other)

[Anonymous]

Sometimes it's easier, sometimes it's harder. In college, your professors are doing the bulk of the work. No matter how hard your part seems in college, you have it easy. When you go to work, you actually have to do the bulk of the work. What field are you going into? Even if it is hard, you'll be fine. And you'll get a paycheck which helps!

[Anonymous]

If you did college right, work is way harder. For all those claiming work is easier, sorry you didn't do college right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you did college right, work is way harder. For all those claiming work is easier, sorry you didn't do college right.

Care to elaborate?

[Anonymous]

Work is so much easier- no tests, you usually do not have to work weekends, no homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Asking as a 22 yo who has never worked a full-time job. Did an internship at part-time that led to a full-time job, that I’ll start in two months. I am terrified. How much more stressful will this be?

Unfortunately, you may end up learning that bullies don't only exist in schools. They also exist in the workplace.

[Anonymous]

I am surprised by the replies. I think this completely depends on the job/career path. I found the first year working out of college to be incredibly stressful. I worked for a nonprofit and was working ALL of the time. I really missed having a life and free time. Although I excelled at the job and made some very good friends, it was not a good fit for my personality and I was miserable the vast majority of the time. When I went back to school for law school, I truly felt like it was a vacation. Having time to just study and be a student is such an incredible luxury. I fully enjoyed my time in law school and pretty much hated my first two years as an associate at a law firm. I powered through, however, and am now a partner at a law firm and there is a lot that I like about my job. The early years in any job can be incredibly difficult because of the steep learning curve. I do not say this to scare you but just to offer up another perspective and viewpoint. If I have any advice, it is to find a job that is a good fit for you and your personality.

[Anonymous]

Work is harder, IMHO. The day-in, day-out drudgery can be awful. Coworkers can be terrible and sometimes you’re stuck with them for years. Having a boss = awful. Showing up with a hangover = awful. Having to stay late even though you had plans = awful. Forced team building activities, windowless cubicles, endless meetings, long commutes, no parental leave = awful.

Then I listen to my sage DFW and realize that it’s not so bad.

https://fs.blog/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water/

[Anonymous]

Easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Asking as a 22 yo who has never worked a full-time job. Did an internship at part-time that led to a full-time job, that I’ll start in two months. I am terrified. How much more stressful will this be?

Less stressful. No need to be terrified-you'll likely love it.

[Anonymous]

You're trapped in a cold office for 8 hrs each day sometimes with an immoral boss who plays favorites and belches and have a farting coworker next to you if the boss doesn't like you and they can dislike you for no reason at all. You won't see your pets or anyone waiting for you at home for 8 hrs a day. You may be micromanaged and have your breaks timed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found it both easier and harder. Easier to check out at the end of the workday. Harder in that it's generally more regimented in terms of scheduling and you are expected to get things done on other people's timelines which often are not as clear as they should be. Oh to have a semester syllabus for a job...

+1

+2

Also to add, I found the transition from college to working really difficult. I really missed the scheduled breaks (winter, spring, summer break), missed the structure of school and syllabi, and the long work days. But you do get used to it.