Bad pizza, cheap beer, a 12-year-old car, a 20-year-old stereo with an 8-track player ... anyone who's ever been an optometry student is all too familiar with this lifestyle.

So what do we want to do when we finally graduate? After countless goofy labs in visual perception and clinical proficiencies, numerous worrisome final exams, and lengthy, nightmare-inducing NBEO and state boards, we want to finally live like our friends and old college roommates.

It's time for dinners in nice restaurants, imported beer, a new car, nice clothes, a vacation and maybe even a new house. After all, we're doctors now and we deserve it, right?

Wrong.

When I started the journey through my optometric education, a wise man with gray hair introduced me to the phrase "delayed gratification." And now, I'll share his wisdom with you.

Reality bites

As a student, you've been delaying lots of "things" in order to become an optometrist. So, even though you've earned it, be very careful when you start off because those first 6 to 24 months can dictate how the rest of your life goes.

Making major purchases -- a new car or a house -- can have a big effect on your credit ratio and history. And unless Mumsie and Daddy paid for your education, those letters from Sallie Mae will come soon enough. When your monthly student loan payment is larger than your house payment, reality is that you won't be able to do a lot of those things you dreamed about while falling asleep studying for the NBEO exams.

Debt consolidation should be your first priority. And not overextending your budget should be an ongoing goal. When making purchases, you must assess your needs as opposed to your wants. For instance, when it comes time to replace that 12-year-old car, ask yourself if you really need that Lexus or if a Lumina would serve you just as well. Here's what you need to do.

Bite back

Consult someone you trust and plan any major purchases. If you're married, discuss with your spouse your future plans for a family and how the potential loss of income will affect your budget. And don't forget to include daycare expenses if you'll both continue to work.

Your income will increase, but if you're employed and want to buy into a practice, you'll have to take a pay cut. Can your lifestyle afford it? If you don't want to buy into a practice now, you still should be careful about spending because if you change your mind, you're effectively a slave to your debt. Even if you want to do something different with your career, the debt will prevent you from making those desired changes.

Consider all of your options when you take a job -- income, growth, work environment -- but also have a personal plan as to where you want to be in 5, 10 or 15 years. Keep your options open. Don't commit yourself to even more debt without fully understanding the consequences.

Rewards will come

Be flexible. Be honest with yourself. Enjoy your new career. It was a hard road but you've done it. If your student debt is low, thank your parents -- monthly. If your student debt is high, work on paying it off.

And last but most importantly, be good to yourself (within reason) because it was your efforts that made you an optometrist.

A graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry, Dr. Brandys was employed for several years before he opened his private practice cold in 1993. He's currently the president of the Illinois Optometric Association and the director of optometric relations for Chicago Cornea Consultants. He still drives a Lumina.