Soon to graduate? Don’t panic – here’s how to prepare for no longer being a student.

You had a fair amount of stress during your years of study as a student. But, you may be even more anxious about the unknown world of graduation!

It would be natural to want to panic and run away from the screen. But don’t – getting ready to face the world post-uni is a bit simpler and less stressful than you think.

How do we know this? Because we’ve put together a handy guide that gives you 5 essential steps to follow when gearing up for graduation.

Whether it’s making money, saving it, finding a job or eating a decent meal, our advice provides practical solutions, which are tried and tested. Ready to start? Read on…

5. Become a budgeting master
It’s safe to say the majority of your worries will be based around money. Or indeed a lack of it! Being poor doesn’t end with your student days unfortunately.

Get savvy with savings. Learn how to budget. If you already do this that’s great, but stick with us, as we could be covering some things you hadn’t thought of.

For beginners, drawing up a list of daily, weekly and monthly spends is important and gets the ball rolling. If numbers baffle you, try a finance app, which makes the process easier.

Confidence is a key attribute to have as a graduate. And nothing makes you more confident than knowing what’s going on with your accounts, and seeing where to save.

4. Organise your way to success
Managing your finances is a top life skill. But managing your whole life reduces those stress levels even further. It may sound intimidating, but trust us, it pays off.

Time to think about time. The best thing about being organised is it frees up more hours. Instead of wasting it having one more cup of tea, you become increasingly productive.

As well as boosting your confidence, it’s also something employers look for in reliable staff. Once mastered, you’ll carry it around for the rest of your life.

It won’t surprise you to learn the best business brains in Britain rely on being on top of their game, at all times. If you don’t know where to start, here are some pointers.

3. Work out how to work
If anything is going to cause panic for a soon-to-be graduate, it’s the prospect of finding a job. It’s even harder if you don’t know what you want to go into.

Apply yourself. By which we mean apply for jobs. The earlier the better. Don’t focus exclusively on career positions. Even regular roles get you into the habit of a work routine.

Without a routine, you can sit around staring at the walls, lacking motivation. Working from home can be challenging… being unemployed at home even more so.

If you have time on your hands, then at the very least you should think about earning some extra perks via things like online surveys…? Or dig out those old uni textbooks and see if they’re worth a few quid?

2. Live it up with a new lifestyle
Arguably the biggest shift between student life and graduate life is lifestyle. Being a student is sort of a licence to sit in pubs, and to eat takeaways after a night out.

Throw out the fat! By eating and drinking properly you give yourself energy you never knew you had. Sensible exercise is also essential for developing a positive outlook.

Even something as simple as cutting down on the booze, and walking/cycling to work instead of sitting on public transport can make a significant difference.

1. Don’t forget to take it easy
They say we live in a 24/7 culture, but it’s easy to forget that it isn’t all work, work, work! You have to make time to chill out, to avoid your brain going over a cliff.

Here’s the thing. You can keep that student vibe going, even after graduation. By taking advantage of uni perks, you get great deals on stuff like entertainment packages.

Don’t just give yourself square eyes on a boxset binge. Learn how to unwind by downloading apps that calm you down. Some are free, which is a relaxing piece of information!