If you’re about to graduate at the end of this year, there are some things you should have sorted by now. And that’s aside from your academics. You don’t need to have your life planned out or a job waiting for on the other side. But there are some things you should achieve to make life after studying a little easier to adjust to.

Get a driver’s license

You may not need one when you live in a small university town, but out in the real world it’s really important. Think about it. If you want to find a job, chances are that you’re going to need transport. Public transport may be an option but it’s not always reliable. Even if you don’t drive to work every day, your job may require you to run errands occasionally. Of course, you may not be able to afford to browse through pre-owned BMWs right away, but the day will come when you need to buy a car.

Contribute to a club or society

Whether your thing is writing for the student newspaper or dominating the debate team, you need to make a meaningful contribution this year. The teamwork will prepare you for the future and you’ll get used to the responsibility of playing a role in an organisation. Of course, it will also look good on your CV.

Have a CV and start adding things

Creating a CV is not the hardest thing to do, but creating a great CV that will find you a job may prove more difficult. So, that’s why it’s important that you start adding as many things as you can to your list of achievements. Try do some observation work during the holidays and see what you can do for local charities on the weekends.

Have an online presence

Okay, so maybe this should be called, “Have a responsible online presence” or “Clean up your online presence.” Potential employers will most definitely google you and you need to make sure that you come off as someone they want to hire. So, clean up your twitter timeline and untag yourself in dodgy pictures. You can use the privacy settings on Facebook, but keep your Twitter open. You don’t want them thinking you have something to hide. Also, LinkedIn is a great tool and you should use it.

Of course, there are many other things you need to get sorted in the next year or so, but these are simple things that will help you after graduation. Just remember to keep your marks up and your thinking cap on.