It’s been a while since I graduated university and looking back, there’s a lot of things I wish I knew back then. I remember I was super anxious to finish up school, to go hunting for my first post-grad job, so I could move up that corporate ladder.

If I could go back in time and talk to my younger self, this is the advice I’d give myself. And if you’re fresh out of school (congrats!) – I hope you find this advice useful!

My travels in Japan (the above are the streets of Osaka) were one of my favourites. Funny enough, this wasn’t even on my radar, until my high school best friend convinced me to meet her there. 

1. Take That Travel Break

I was a major keener and jumped right into my first full-time 9-5 job at 21 years old. If I could do it again, I would’ve taken 6 months minimum to travel. You’ll have to save up and manage your funds to plan for this, but if you have the opportunity to travel…do it! Meeting new people, seeing different cultures and putting yourself outside your comfort zone will be so valuable to your personal growth.

Second floor, far right. This was the first place I lived when I moved cities for the first time. So many awesome memories! 

2. Pack Your Bags and Move Cities

I pondered moving cities for a solid 5 years before I did it. Moving to Montreal was a turning point in my life. It was challenging at times being in a new unfamiliar environment, but I grew leaps and bounds that first year. I was forced to practice my high school French at the grocery store, I said “yes” to everything, and I even went to a nightclub by myself for the first time to see Kaskade DJ.

3. Take The Risk, It’s Not That Big a Deal

It’s scary to take risks. I’ve had a million conversations with myself and why I probably shouldn’t do something. Looking bad, every time I took it risk, it paid off. And I also never regretted the risk I took. I moved cities, I quit my full-time job to start The Style Spy, I became my own boss.

4. More Books, Less TV

Don’t get me wrong, I PVR reality shows and love a good TV series, but I think I did watch way too much TV in my younger years. I’ve made a bigger effort to turn off the TV and listen to more audio books. Audible is my favourite app for that – you can try it out and get a book for free! Another option is wander the aisles of your local library or even borrow audio books from them.

5. Get Educated On Your Money Matters

I was never really taught much about money. For the longest time, I didn’t really understand how to manage it or think about anything long-term. It’s very empowering to understand your financial health. Be proactive and learn (Google is your friend), even ask someone you know who’s older and who you admire on what advice they’d have for you.

You’ll find me here most Saturdays, getting my sweat on. 

6. Get Off The Couch and Be Mindful About Food

I never exercised when I was younger and I barely knew anything about food, nutrition and health. I could eat all the fast food and junk food I wanted and I would still be stick skinny. But really, I wasn’t the healthiest I could’ve been. Find something that keeps you moving that works for you (my current obsession: Mini trampoline classes) and make better choices with your diet. For a little wellness inspo, I like to read Mind Body Green. They’ve also got a great podcast.

I’ve found a lot of peace in no longer caring about what others say.

7. Seriously, Who Cares What Others Say

I use to care a lot about what others thought of me. But really, it doesn’t matter. Don’t get sucked into that vortex where you worry and stress over other’s opinions of your life. That friend who’s saying bad things about you – they’re likely not your friend and you probably won’t even remember their name ten years down the road. Bye!

Every experience helps you grow, so go out there and go live life. Be present, have integrity and be kind – that will take you a long way!

Win a Samsung Galaxy A5 Smartphone, Gear IconX Cord-Free Fitness Earbuds & Gear Fit 2 GPS Sports Band ($1055 CAD value)

To celebrate all you new grads out there, Samsung has given us a connected experience for one lucky winner!

The Samsung Galaxy A5 Grad Tech Pack includes:

Galaxy A5: Smart, sleek and practical smartphone with Super AMOLED display, 16.0 MP camera and up to 256 GB of expandable storage. ($525 CAD value)

Gear IconX: Light weight, cordless earbuds that offer standalone fitness tracking and a GB of memory to store up to 1,000 songs directly on the ear pieces. ($280 CAD value)

Gear Fit2: With a built-in accelerometer, gyro, and barometer, the Gear Fit2 provides accurate data tracking for a variety of fitness activities.($250 CAD value)

To enter to win:

1. Post a comment on this blog post and tell us which advice above was your favorite. One entry per person.
2. Follow and tweet this (one entry per day): I want to win Samsung Galaxy A5 Grad Tech Pack from @SamsungCanada & @TheStyleSpy. RT to Win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to Canadian residents only. Contest is open till July 31, 2017, 11:59pm PT.