reality check

a confirmation of facts, especially to combat malicious rumors, stand ground against excessive idealism, or dispel fantasies

Many politicians could use a reality check.

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in transition

unemployed, not hired

Unfortunately, many people are still in transition.

read the riot act

to rebuke firmly, especially with a stern warning (the riot act was an act of the Parliament of Brittan which was often read before it was enforced and was made particularly infamous by the "Peterloo massacre")

He read the riot act to him in front of everyone when he tried to steal his book.

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