No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide: Straight Talk on Jobs, Money, Balance, Life, and More

by Nicholas Aretakis

Book Overview

Based on 200 interviews with students ages 20 and up at colleges and technical schools across the nation, this advice book identifies the biggest worries of young people entering the adult world of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977622401
• ISBN13: 9780977622405
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Next Stage Press
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Must-have!

After reading No More Ramen: The 20-something's Real World Survival Guide, by Nicholas Aretakis, my advice to prospective readers of this book is: do not be misled by the title; you do not have to be living off Ramen noodles to benefit from this book! ANYONE from the ages of 14 to 50, maybe 60, will find the information in here useful, because it covers such a wide range of topics that focus on advancing one's career as efficiently as possible. One topic I found particularly useful was about planning: analyzing what exactly your goals are and then developing a clear, direct path to achieve that goal. There is an abundance of useful information, resources and exercises squeezed into about 230 pages, but it's not repetitive and you don't need to memorize; the topics within the chapters are divided nicely, making it easy to use the book as a reference. If you are confused about what your goals are, I highly suggest you read this book, because it will help you put your life into proper perspective. Before I read this book, I was confused about what I really wanted to do in life, and about internships, graduate school, everything else that you hear about in college, and reading this book has helped me decide what I want to do in life, along with what steps I should take in order to achieve that. I feel more secure and confident about where I am now in life because I know I am doing what I should be doing. No More Ramen is an essential read, and the sooner you read it, the better.

Straightforward, Insightful, & a Must Read for Life Transitions

As a student fresh out of graduation in the U.S. and moving immediately afterward to Madrid for a low-paying, high-passion job and countless questions, I found No-More-Ramen a refreshing reference guide for how to proceed with life. Many books advice us about goals, but goals are something we all already have. What makes this book so influential is that in addition to suggesting goals, it provides strategies. I was descending an escalator to the subway, and saw a young boy playing the classic game of stepping upward on the escalator while it was descending, which left him working hard, but going nowhere. I realized how easily this can happen in life, although nobody intends it, but without helpful guidelines to live by, dreams of success can easily slip into a static existence. Everybody needs a game plan. No More Ramen provides the insight and strategies of both somebody who's been there, and hundreds who are currently there. The invaluable tips given allow you to make an organized game plan appropriate to your own life, with clear and stress relieving guidelines that help lead you to an future success in every aspect of the word - career, academics, family, and self-happiness.

Help For Your Life

What am I doing with my life? This is a question I hear many of my friends who are about to graduate ask themselves. In fact, I am compelled to wonder the same concerning my own life. After reading No More Ramen, the origins of the question are no longer a mystery to me. Looking to the future, it only makes sense to wonder what tomorrow has in store. No More Ramen is extremely beneficial in helping you figure out what it is you are doing with your life. By laying out skeleton guidelines, Nicholas Aretakis helps you develop your goals for tomorrow and teaches a balance that is bound to propel you towards a successful life after college. Indeed, No More Ramen has definitely given me hope that I will not have to rely on that cheap and tasteless carbohydrate excuse for a meal, as long as I plan accordingly. Mr. Aretakis' bountiful provision of resources prepares you for life beyond college in a way that we are never quite taught. He speaks to our demographic in a language that we can relate to, holding nothing back, and treating the very important next step of our lives with the necessary attention it deserves. Although only a rising junior, No More Ramen is already proving useful to me as I set out on my own this summer, interning away from home. Budgeting time, money and resources, relating to coworkers; these are topics No More Ramen addresses - common sense which is not so common and which ought to be taught. I would encourage you to grab a copy of this book for some good leisure reading that is guaranteed to help you figure out what it is you are doing with your life. I know that as I continue to go through college and eventually start `living' I will return to No More Ramen to use the gems of wisdom made so apparent in the book.

Great book to get you ready for the

No More Ramen is an easy, enjoyable read that gives practical career advice for those just entering the job market. The book details in easy to follow sections the steps of setting career goals, finding the job that will point you in the right direction, and how to excel and advance in your career. The ideas are not rocket science (it's a lot about working hard now to reap the rewards later), but it probably sinks in more to hear it from an objective adult who has been through it already. I found Aretakis's candid advice on why joining the Peace Corps or traveling may not be the best idea to be helpful, and as well as his explanation of why it is worth taking a "grunt work" job though it may pay more to wait tables. There is also an extensive section on budgeting and finance, which EVERYONE should read. He shows you exactly how not to end up in massive debt, which statistics show is a common problem for people right out of school. [...]. The book is tailored to the young 20-something just starting out, but it would also be helpful for college students who are starting to think about the "real world". I have actually found it useful for my summer internship, especially the advice about getting settled in. No More Ramen does not have to be read cover-to-cover, rather, it is a great reference tool that one can easily go back and refer to time and time again. College career centers should start giving out this book to their students, and it also would make a great gift for soon-to-be grads!

Fantastic read!

What is it about graduation that utterly terrifies otherwise intelligent, reasonable 20-somethings? Apprehension about the future is almost unbearable for many, with good reason. Going out into the "real world" to be a "grown up" is something most young adults are simply not ready for, mainly due to a lack of training in the art that is every day survival. Luckily, an opportunity for self-education exists in the book No More Ramen, which actually advertises itself as "the 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide." This book is for all those of us who do not know how to do anything that does not revolve around being in the world of academia, and because of this book, we can know that we are not alone in the quest for success. Even more importantly, No More Ramen gives strategies for getting what each individual wants out of his or her life. Thanks to the wisdom of someone who has been there, acting on the demands of 20-something focus groups, college students, recent graduates and other young professionals can now be equipped to formulate a plan of survival. Besides formulating specific, individual plans of success, No More Ramen also talks about the specifics of "real life" that are not taught in most college classes. Insurance, taxes, budgeting, and balance are all discussed, as well as realistic expectations for a career. Unfortunately, it does not look like the odds are in my favor to be a multi-millionaire by the age of 30, but it is better to know that now, to avoid feeling like such a failure then... and, I can have a backup plan in the event that I do not reach my financial goals. Perhaps one of the best things about this book is that it has value beyond the first reading, and the reader can have every intention of keeping this book well into a first or even second job. The resources and wisdom found within its pages will guide many to write a beautiful resume, get through the perfect interview, and find exactly what the reader is looking for in work and in life.