This post in itself is a bit late, since I did graduate at least a week and a bit ago but I figured it would be a good way to get back into writing again. I’m a GRADUATE…It’s amazing to think that I’ve actually finished a 5 year program already, it almost feels like yesterday that I finished high school and headed to a new city to start school.

I have to say that it was interesting to head back to school after a month or so to “officially” graduate despite already feeling like I had finished. I was pretty nonchalant about it before I got there but then it really hit me, this was the end of my undergrad career. All in all the ceremony was a lot shorter than I thought (WOO!) and the opportunity to trip on stage was minimal. BUT it was also the day where it really sunk in, I’ve graduated and really won’t be seeing my former classmates every day anymore. I’ll also unlikely be back in Guelph as frequently (about an hour or so away from T.O) even though it was a great city that was my home for about 5 years. As a recent graduate I figure I should discuss some things I’ve learned and of course my plans for after grad.

What I Learned After 5 Years of University

1. Sh*tty Situations Can Turn into Opportunities

I’ve played sports for the majority of my life (even a bit longer than I’ve been at school) and carried that forward when I went to university. I played 3 years of varsity soccer after recovering from ACL surgery in 2008 before I came to school. Unfortunately my knee started to irritate me again after my 3rd year and lead to me making the tough decision (after being pretty stubborn about it for a while) to quit soccer. That lead to an excellent opportunity and a much clearer schedule to take on new things, and lots of them of course, because that’s just how I roll.

Rocking my knee brace while playing soccer at the University of Guelph

In my 4th year I joined the Entrepreneurship Society at UofG which lead to the amazing opportunity to become the President in my 5th year which was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had at school. I also started writing this blog oh and got really academically involved including joining a business case competition team, and going to a variety of conferences. Networking became my middle name. All in all I learned that a crappy situation can really turn into something or many amazing opportunities.

2. Network!

Self explanatory, this will help you when searching for jobs and are very important especially those that are in business. Check out conferences, connect with friends of friends and make use of LinkedIn, no job board/posting can replace a networked relationship. And just for that, you should connect with me on LinkedIn

3. No Regrets

Whether it’s going out for that final Thursday to your favourite bar or starting your own business. Do it when you have the freedom and flexibility to do so, university is a unique time in our lives where possibilities are endless and you have less responsibilities. It’s also something I’ll be carrying forward after graduation simply because life is short, we should all make the most of it.

4. Work smarter, not harder

This is something that I still need to work on, but I’ve definitely been improving on since I started university. It’s important to work hard-yes, but working smarter is even better and leaves you a lot less stressed and allows you to accomplish more with your time.

5. Be strategic

Whether it’s building your resume to lead you to the career or job that you want or making sure you have enough $’s in the bank for whatever trip you want to do. It’s important to plan and think strategically about what you really want out of life or your time at university. It’s definitely something that I’ll still be doing after graduating, because life is really only getting started.

Post Graduation

Starting Work in September

I’ve taken the summer off but will be starting a job in sales in September which I’m really excited for. It should be interesting given that I will almost be my own “boss” and meeting customers on a regular basis and building on my marketing skills. I also will be buying/leasing a car soon in order to work which leads to my next point..

Financial Planning & Investing

I’ve dabbled a bit in stocks here and there but really want to start building a portfolio and taking advantage of my TFSA’s. Hopefully being able to purchase a house within 2-3 years would also be a amazing so I’ll be saving for that (through investments of course). Overall I really feel like I’ve got this whole frugal thing down, but furthering my investment knowledge is really important moving forward.

Fun & Travel

Given that I’ve had the summer off I’ve decided to head on out to Greece for a 3 1/2 week adventure in July/August. Overall I’m really excited for it since we’ll be island hopping and getting on whatever ferry we choose that day. Seems like I’ll be coming home and most likely have the travel bug after that which means I’ll be travelling a bunch more after I start work. And of course I’m going to start to really experience the city of Toronto. Despite living here all of my life (I don’t live downtown) I haven’t gone to a lot of the really interesting neighborhoods or really explored like I should. My friends and I have an unofficial list that just keeps growing but it’s exciting to check out such an amazing city.

There are quite a few other things that I’m sure I will be looking forward to or considering later on. That’s probably one of the most exciting things about graduation, the possibilities are endless. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2014!

What are your plans after graduation?

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Getting There

First off the parking lot was PACKED! The lot in front of the former Zellers used to be ridiculously empty and now here Target was filling up the lot. I then realized that I decided to go on the first Saturday that it was open so it started to make a little bit more sense. Also people may have come from places outside of Guelph to check out Target and all it has to offer, so that may have explained it as well.

The Store

Well there is really no comparison to Zellers, aside from the similar colours. The store was so much nicer, as well as the products themselves. I went in expecting not to see much in the way of selection and quantity of products simply because this is a preliminary opening but was still pleasantly surprised. I did only check out the women’s clothing and footwear for the most part in addition to checking out the Roots clothing (which was pretty limited in quantity, but much better priced than Roots stores).

Note* the Roots clothing in Target stores is slightly downgraded in quality so it can be priced cheaper.

The footwear selection was pretty good with a variety of styles including a pair of lower height heels in plain black that I snapped up for work for $29.99 regular price and it wasn’t the same kind of cheaper quality that you find at Payless now (which is becoming a bit more expensive than it used to be). Sizing was a bit limited, once again because its a prelim opening but I benef from rather large feet and was able to find my size easily. They had their similar bra and underwear selection at similar prices as the US that I have snapped up before and it’s a nice alternative to going to La Senza and waiting for sale prices.

For all the male readers I didn’t really check out anything in the guys apparel sections or men’s shoes. I also have previously bought printer cartridges at Target in the states and wasn’t able to check pricing at the Canadian location-will have to do that the next time I’m there/during the school year.

Conclusion

For the items that I like and have purchased at Target USA in the past, this store is going to be pretty convenient given the fact that it’s located within walking distance of the University of Guelph when I’m back at school next year. The store itself provides nice clothes at inexpensive prices which is actually pretty hard to find in the Canadian market right now. You either find really nice expensive clothing and shoes or a poorer quality/less stylish inexpensive products. The people at the checkout were really nice and didn’t seem like they hated every minute of their job, the lines also moved really quickly despite how long they were. Also I have to admit that they have a really nice makeup section, it’s similar to Shoppers Drug Mart minus the slightly higher prices. And you don’t feel super gross like you do when you go to a Wal Mart, just saying.

Have you checked out a Target store yet?

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