So the other day, a friend says to me "... and it's just time to stop living like I'm in college, you know?"
In their particular case, I did know. I knew exactly, from having lived through a very similar circumstance once, and I could readily empathize with them. That said, it still made me think, quite a bit, on what that means.
In my case, it meant things joked about years ago as kids were now quite real:
- If you don't pay your bills, mommy and daddy won't save you.
- You really do have to get up every day for work.
- Life is short. Eat dessert first.
- You really do have to go to bed on time every night to get up the next morning.
- Be nice to people, and in general, they'll be nice back.
- Source control (and the processes like it in non-software careers) look like a lot of work, and can be, but actually are there to protect you. It's like insurance for your continued employment.
- Investing is non optional. There will come a day where you don't want to or can't work anymore. Then what are you going to do?
- Always, always, always buy the best shoes you can afford.
- Invest in yourself - train yourself. Don't expect other people to get you places.
- Do what you love, sure, but realize that the definition of "professional" says more about what you do when the fun is no longer fun.
