April 1st has officially passed. And to the majority of seniors graduating in May, that date means the official start of the interviewing season; the frantic search for a job, any job, which can jump-start your career and your place in the real world; something that attempts to cover living expenses, rent and the like; and most importantly (and one of the most troubling aspects of it all to some) is that you are finally on your own.

For some students who have been lucky enough to have been helped through college with tuition, rent and other things, this break is a giant leap into self-sufficiency. One that, without careful planning and responsibility, can throw the average 22 year old for a loop. For those who have been able to budget and support themselves through college, they are one-step ahead of other students, having an upper hand on managing their lifestyle in a working atmosphere.

Besides monetary concerns, however, are the heavy pressures and procedures in order to secure a job right after college. Some need to start right away, while others want to begin in August. And then there are those who are taking a year off to “find themselves” or travel and enjoy their one last shot at freedom and young adulthood.

And how can I ignore the parental factor? You know, those who are constantly calling and asking you (as they call it, whereas someone like me may call it pestering): “Did you submit your resume anywhere?” “How is your cover letter?” “Did you talk to so-and-so?” While I know my friends and I are all getting bombarded with the same amount of questions, it is still very frustrating. After four years of college and living on your own away from home, why now do our parents find the time to interject? While I know I am extremely lucky to have mine watching out for me, the whole job search is frustrating enough without others asking lines of questions.

If you’re in the business school or are graduating with some sort of business degree, chances are you have a job that has been lined up for you since first semester. But for the rest of the university, most students are not that lucky. More often than not, I have heard of past graduates having to move to a city before an actual job was secured, so they would be able to go in for an interview on a whim and take the job right away if need be. And in other cases, some industries have such high turn-over that they simply cannot review candidates until late summer. The last thing most students or I want to be doing is nervously nail biting their way through the summer waiting for a job to come through. And this isn’t a situation where the typical student can be apathetic about landing a career — you have to be motivated and constantly hunting.

While I am excited to take the dive into the working world, it is a thought that comes with mixed emotions. Yet, it is always reassuring to hear those who are happy in their working environments reminding me that it is “not that bad,” and it “only gets better.” I have an older sister who graduated from the University of Michigan and took the first job she was offered in New York City — one that she grew to hate, yet was able to learn from and turn into a growing experience that has helped her grow into her success years later. Armed with this knowledge, as well as other people’s insight, I am comfortable with the fact that while I’m not going to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company tomorrow, you’ve got to start small. And small can turn into big with diligence, integrity and lots of hard work.