During this year’s election night, the nation held their breath counting down to the last ballot on what may later in history be known as the election that affected millennials the most. From jokes of asking for a third term from the Obama family or even making plans of fleeing the country (ahem Canada’s immigrant website crashed soon after the final results were in), the entire world observed in the masses to see if we would unite or tumble down divided. That old saying to “prepare for the worst but expect the best” may be just the thing to calm your nerves and point you in the right direction.

No matter which end of the fence you stood on while casting your vote, a new POTUS tends to have an adjustment period where growing pains can be slight. While we await Trump in the Oval Office, it’s perfect timing to get all your own ducks in a row. Things like seeking financial advising or even sorting your with a fine tooth comb to see how a new President’s policies may affect your business in the long-term. The best thing you can do for yourself is hold yourself accountable for you. With that comes tying up any loose ends to ensure you’re able to move forward seamlessly with the least amount of loss. Once again the hesitancy on what to do next rears its ugly head. We recommend coming together. United, millennials are one of the most powerful groups of people currently. Coming together with like-minded entrepreneurs, creatives, and so on will not only create a new unbreakable bond but opens new conversation to be had and change the culture of millennials as a whole.

Fuel Your Finances

Getting your so-called ducks in a row sounds like a level of “adulting” no one is ever fully prepared for but it’s time for our generation of people to push forward. The first obstacle to tackle will be your finances. With a new POTUS comes an array of short term and long term bills that will be passed. These in result will determine factors such as when you can retire, how much more or less your taxes will be filing as an individual as well as a business/brand. Researching and finding a solid financial advisor will help give you tools you need to make smart investments. The quickest and easiest thing to do is to make sure all debt is paid, your credit score is on the rise, and your savings account is stable. All other financial planning can be done in quarterly sessions. There are even apps such as QuickBooks for business and Capital to assist in putting away your monies for certain financial goals you may have.

Get Your Passport

No we’re not saying that you may need to flee the country soon but having the freedom to travel should not be taken lightly. It’s been rumored by the New York Times that passports could possibly be limited over the next decade due to some forthcoming policies. Don’t regret not renewing your passport or applying for one. Don’t let excuses render you from seeing other parts of the world. Opportunities such as volunteering, studying abroad, or even visiting Cuba as a beneficial business trip are available. Look forward to traveling by scheduling a getaway with friends or even look into joint a trending black travel group like Travel Noire.

File Your FAFSA

Immediately An email alert was sent out via FAFSA in late October prior to the election that all financial aid applications would need to be due no later than March 2017. The fine print also read that this year all applications will require up to three years of past tax returns. For some millennials that have just recently been declared as independents by FAFSA, this could be a perk or con being that millennials count for the largest contributing generation to today’s entrepreneurs. In this instance, it may be true that the early bird gets the worm. Make sure you don’t miss out on the extra funding for your degree and file now. This election brought to light just how many people it can take to spark an outcry to reach certain communities. You may be a feminist or an entrepreneur and be able to find common ground on what task need to take place in order to get to the main goal of equality or what have you. Once you find your similarities, organize. After that you can repeat the same steps and eventually call the shots. If we continue to focus on our differences alone, we cannot be heard clearly with a million and one thoughts versus one at a time.

Last but not least, we wanted to say that we are all human at the end of the day – we cannot forget that. There’s been fighting and even our ancestors whom have suffered which means we as a people can only go up from here!

MADE Xuxa Day