Are you immune to the recession?

I am not immune to the recession and neither are you. Just a few of the stories that jolted me awake-even from here in the Harvard bubble: Four of my classmates at HBS had verbal job offers rescinded and then had to scramble for summer internships a month before school ended. After graduating from Harvard with a Masters degree, one of my best friends received a notice that her position was being eliminated after she had only been there for six months. The two people who were like my second pair of parents both lost their jobs in the last three years. Today Oprah was about people finding themselves “pushed down” in social status after losing their job. A few things you and I can both do instead of pretending the recession does not exist:

Spend Wisely. Educational debt can be scary, but at least it provides you with a degree, which in theory should help you earn more money. Stay away from consumer credit card debt, and be mindful about how you spend your money. I am going to take cabs less, be more careful about buying groceries that I will actually eat, and go out to eat much less. Slowing down your life in general will help me save money because I often use money as a convenience factor. If I commit myself to less things throughout the day, I will have the time to actually take the subway, cook for myself more often, and draw money from the right ATM.

Be mindful of others. One of the most common questions asked on campus is “What are you up to for the summer/after graduation?” A lot of us have stopped asking this question because the answer has increasingly become a sensitive issue as the school year has ended and many people are still searching for jobs.  Outside of the HBS bubble, I’ve asked people “what they do” only to find that I have caused an extremely awkward moment for someone who has been laid off. When making small talk, ask people if they’ve seen any good movies lately, read any good books, or what their plans for the weekend are. You’ll both be happy if you stay away from topics involving money, jobs, or the economy. For those of us who have been less hard hit by the recession (I’m talking to all you first-year MBA students out there), we need to be prepared for hostility and resentment directed toward us by people who are frustrated by the rich, overeducated people whose malfeasance they believe caused this disaster. I had a taxi driver bid me and my classmates farewell with, “Good luck ruining America’s companies.” People are hurt and angry. Don’t exacerbate things with conspicuous consumption or ignorant questions. Try to be a peacemaker and be forgiving toward people who may direct their resentment at you.

Become an Expert. Layoffs could easily make us feel out of control of our lives, but you can control what you know. We are all passionate about something, and people will pay for knowledge that they need. My friend Laura Roeder is an expert in creating fame for yourself online. My friend Semil Shah is an expert on doing business in India. They both work for themselves. Shadiah Sigala is an expert in wellness and fabulous living on a budget. My friends Chris, Will, and Brian are experts on cool jobs for millennials, and my friend Alexis is an expert in haircare for children. I am developing my expertise in dating, networking, and the job search. You are passionate about something. This is the time to devote more time to what interests you and become strategic about how you can get paid for what you know. Show the world your expertise and start a blog today.

These are just three ways to wake up to the recession if you’ve been sleeping on it like I have. Don’t wait until the recession knocks on your door to figure out your strategy for not just surviving-but thriving during the recession.