'Figuring Things Out': The First Year After Graduation in 3 Words

For many students, graduation is the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifices and the promise of a future with great potential.

For the rest of us, it's an unwelcome introduction to the real world. And let's be honest — graduation is like a celebration and a memorial wrapped into one; the end of the beginning and the beginning of the end.

In celebration of yet another graduation season, Mashable asked its community to sum up that exciting, depressing, joyous, monumental first year of life after graduation in just three words. Our audience was more than happy to share, and we've highlighted some of those responses below. Read more...