20 Lessons I've Learned After College

It's been a full year since I left the paradise of Athens, Ohio as a college student. During my almost full year as a semi-functioning adult, I've learned some great lessons that I feel I should pass on to you readers. Enjoy.

1. Student loans are awful...like really awful.

2. Don't stress about not having a job when you walk across the stage. It'll come your way.

3. Nothing will ever be cheaper than college bar drinks. NOTHING.


4. Free food still exists in the real world. Thank God.

5. Friendships will fade but family will always be there with full support, even if they think you're doing something stupid.

6. Take risks. If that means moving to a place you never expected (aka my life), it will be worth it in the long run.

7. Don't stop networking. Keep it going in the real world. You never know what opportunities will come your way.

8. I'm almost 23 and I still have to call my mom to deal with adult problems, which is totally normal. Moms are superheroes. Mama Bell is a blessing.

9. Coffee and melatonin are still necessities in the real world and not just for finals week.

10. Don't just lose contact with friends, because you don't see them every day on campus. Keep in touch with them. Those conversations over FaceTime or through Snapchat are sometimes needed on a Wednesday at 1 a.m. when you're bugging out.

11. SAVE. MONEY. Seriously, learn to budget.

12. Accept other people and other cultures, even if you disagree. Differences in cultures, races, genders, sexualities and ethnicities is what makes the world so phenomenal.

13. I still haven't used the Pythagorean Theorem since algebra my freshman year of high school.

14. Try your best to learn about taxes, 401ks, retirement and benefits before you enter the real world and have to call your dad to explain it to you when you get a random piece of mail that makes no sense to you. Love you Dad.

15. Spend 30 minutes a day off your phone and just relax, whether that be a good breakfast, a nice cup of coffee or watching Seinfeld before going to work.

16. Treat people with basic human respect. You may not like the person, but they're still a human. Treat them as such.

17. Work does not equal a best friend club, BUT if you didn't know that before entering the working world, then you're already way behind.

18. Learn the basics of car repair, i.e. knowing how to change a flat tire.

19. Patience is everything. Yelling at a computer for freezing on you five minutes before deadline will not make the computer fix itself faster. Believe me, I've tried.

20. Love your job and love what you do. If you don't enjoy the job you wake up for every day, then why enter the working world? Get something that makes you excited to get up at any time of day and take on the world. Do I enjoy getting up at 6 a.m. on random days throughout the week? No, but the reason I get up, which is my fantastic job, is what makes it all worth it.

I Did It

Best choice I made was coming here. pic.twitter.com/7R5xiWDIAa

— Karli Bell (@KarliBell33) November 25, 2015

Four years ago, I received a letter in the mail back home in Chicago from Ohio University, saying that I was accepted into the university and into the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Who knew that me making my decision to make the culture change from the metropolis of Chicago to the small town of Athens, Ohio would change my life for the better?

Today, I am an official graduate of Ohio University. I finished my degree in three and a half years and made lifetime friends while I was here. The memories I've made here are innumerable. From spending countless Friday nights in the newsroom for Gridiron to every roommate experience I've had, there is so much I've learned here.

The hours I've spent in the WOUB newsroom is immense. I've met my mentors, some of my best friends for life, and future journalists and teachers that are going to change the world for the better in that newsroom. Every show, every cast, every package, every live shot, every interview, and every game I've been a part of has shaped me in some way.

Now, I'm done with school and will enter the working world. I didn't expect my time here to end so quickly. I'm done with school. That's all I've known for 21 years. I'm going to be honest: I'm a bit scared to enter this new working world without having to worry about a 20 page paper to turn in for a political science course or a presentation for a Spanish class.

I'm not trying to sound cliche, but these were the best years of my life. I've had my trials and tribulations like everyone does, but I wouldn't change anything about my time here in Athens. Anytime I meet a freshman, I always say, "I'm so jealous." They have another four years in the best place in this country. It's become my home away from home. I never thought that I would love a small town as much as I love my big city.

I cannot thank my parents enough for letting me pursue my dream and my future. They gave me all the tools they could afford, supported me when others didn't, and took a huge financial risk on their daughter who wanted to get a journalism degree. That is something that I don't think I can ever fully repay. Even when I do eventually pay off these loans, I will still owe them my life for doing something like that for me.


Thanks so much Ohio University & WOUB for giving me the opportunities and
the work environment where I can grow as a journalist. Thank you to Jimmer, Seth, Baucco, and Lucas for being my mentors. Thank you Allison, Atish, Gabe, and Susan for being great co-workers in the newsroom as professional staff. Thank you to the sports department for becoming a part of my family and creating our own fraternity. I know all of you are going to be great successes one day, ranging from my fellow nine seniors all the way down to the freshmen. Thank you Carter for working with me through every issue and obstacle thrown our way this past semester. I couldn't have done anything without you. Thank you John & Jordan for being the best two friends I could have ever asked for.

Thank you to my roommates Katie, Tia, Madison, and Kristin for being able to deal with me for these past two years. Thank you to all my Fenwick girls (Tori, Izzy, Ashley, Claire, Speez, and Theresa) and the two fellow founders of the broadcast club (Jake & Will). Without you guys helping and pushing me throughout high school, I don't know where I would be now.

I still don't know where I will be next, and it's terrifying knowing that. I've been persistent, sent in bunches of job applications, created my resume, created demo reels and created my own website. Now, it's a waiting game to see what station will accept me to join their newsroom, just how four years ago I was waiting to see who would accept me to join their academic community.

All I can say now? I did it.

Why I Don't Vote

It's November 3rd, which means it's election day. I scroll through my Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, all of it and see hundreds of "I Voted" stickers from my friends. Everyone is "proud to be an American" and loves to "support this great country of mine." Direct quotes from some of my friends' posts. These are also the friends of mine who, just two days before election day, said they were fed up with American policies and want to move out of the country...

While people are standing in line waiting to do their so-called patriotic duty in voting, I'm sitting at work or at my apartment, catching up on work, catching up with friends, and talking to my family. I don't vote. I am one of the millions of people and one of the thousands of millenials who doesn't believe in voting for political figure heads. Here's why:

1) I go to school in Ohio but I'm from Chicago, as many of you know. I will only spend 4 years of my life here in Athens. My vote here doesn't represent the community of Athens or the surrounding towns in Athens county. The students are here for only a short time. Why should we put in our voices in this legislature when, by the time a policy will be recognized, we will be long gone? It's pointless.

2) People ask why I don't do absentee voting. Yes, I've spent my entire childhood and teenage years in Chicago, and I will always love my city. However, I'm not there now. My voice means nothing there, seeing that I spend a combined 3.5 months in the city throughout the year. Why vote when I'm not getting the benefits of the vote? Let the people who are spending years in the city get their voice heard. (But let's be real, even those people don't get their voices heard because of Chicago corruption. Good ol' Chicago).

3) Let's say you're voting a representative/senator/congressional leader/alderman whoever into office. If you think about it, politicians don't ever adhere to what you want; they only appeal to what their donors want, since they're the ones giving them money. They're great public speakers because they know how to use words in a way where they never answer a question outright. It's very easy to manipulate the general public with beautiful, flowery language.

4) I honestly don't care enough. All politics do anymore is create gridlock. Policies are rarely passed, laws are either ridiculously broad that they don't do anything or crazy specific to target a miniscule demographic, and they create great television ratings. Why waste my time to study an issue that will not get through the House in at least 5 years? I can spend my time doing more important things, like job hunting, writing articles, working on campus, or spending time with my family.

With all the political issues and division that has been created over the past four years, you really think voting is going to clear it up quickly? You're naive if you think that. There has been more division in this nation over the past year than I can recall. So you all can have fun being "patriotic" and then go bashing the nation not even an hour after you vote. Spend hours waiting in line to cast a ballot. I'll spend my time watching the Bulls and preparing for some MACtion.

Rape Is Not a Joke

First off, readers, I apologize for the month hiatus. It was a busy summer for this now college senior (god I don't like admitting that). Anyway, this post is more centralized towards my college audience, specifically Greek Life people.

I've been back on campus for about two weeks, witnessing the tiny baby freshmen move in to their dorms. I also witnessed and worked the involvement fair, where the swarm of freshies took over the center of Ohio University's campus, actively looking at the hundreds of clubs and organizations that are a part of OU. One particular organization, the Ohio University Student Union, handed out pamphlets that sparked rage and anger that is well deserved.

This pamphlet had a list of tips for freshmen. Some were helpful, like where to buy blue books for exams, to use protection when having sexual intercourse, and certain services on campus that are of great use to students. One, however, was repugnant and horrifying.

On Court Street, there is a blue house that is considered an open house, meaning that anyone can come in on the weekends and party with other bobcats. What the pamphlet published was, "DO NOT go to the blue house, the ACACIA fraternity house across from the BP on Court. They're notorious for bringing their free drinks and raping girls."

A member of Greek life wrote a phenomenal response about how this a huge generalization that has no factual basis. It's based on hearsay. This Greek life member hit the nail on the head.

This has sparked something that people need to know: rape is a serious issue and a horrible accusation to place on a person or an organization. Rape is not something that can be thrown around lightly. This ranges from accusations such as what OUSU made to saying that a test "raped" you.

This needs to stop. Now. Saying that a test "raped" you may sound funny to you at the time, but think about what the word rape means. This test or exam did not physically throw you up against a structure as you scream no, bruise you, cause you to bleed, and made you fall to the ground, feeling like the biggest piece of dung and extremely violated. That test may have been difficult, but it did not rape you.

Words like rape, assault, and other similar trigger words are extremely tender subjects. This needs to end. Rape and assault are not a laughing matter. It's physically traumatic and damages victims emotionally and psychologically. The outlook on the male or female gender will change drastically. Emotional stability becomes nonexistent.

I don't know any other way to say this except that it needs to come to an end. Immediately. It's not a laughing matter.