Graduation is looming over the heads of many. But it’s not the end of the world. It’s just adulthood. But I use the word “adulthood” in the broadest sense, since rarely are we adults straight out of college. None of us have ever had a job that requires a diploma, and many of us don’t know the first step to paying taxes. (I know I don’t.) Not that doing these things necessarily makes one an adult. Nor do these things seem all that appealing after 4 or more years in college. In fact, becoming an “adult” seems downright scary.
You’ve become accustomed to going to class, and are used to crippling debt. You’re not ready for responsibilities outside of essay writing and getting to class on time. Adult responsibilities are defined by how well you can accomplish a specific task. The idea of having a “real” job gives you anxiety, but the thought of not having a “real” job freaks you out even more. Then there’s grad school, and the stress that accompanies that. Before college ends, people expect you to put all your energy into applying to numerous schools all over the country, just so you can wait tirelessly at your computer to obsessively check emails. Waiting is the stressful part, and while rejection after rejection rolls in, you begin to wonder if any school will accept you.
You may start to wonder what the point of it all is, and question why you sent out all these applications just to be disappointed. But worry not, my friend, for there are far better things to do after graduation.
It’s okay if you can’t find a job out of college. It’s also okay if you don’t apply to grad schools. In fact, I’ve heard that taking time off after college is actually the best thing you can do. You might think doing that would be more stressful than applying to schools or a job, but it can actually have the opposite effect. Not only will this downtime give you time to think about what you’d like to do in the future, but it will give you some much needed rest after those four years of college. In a handful of other countries, a gap year exists. While a gap year usually refers to taking a break between high school and college, it can also be applied here. After college, instead of hopping back into school, take a break.
While out once, I was talking with a grad student here at GCSU. Although she was a grad student, she told me that after finishing college, she didn’t apply to GCSU or other places, but instead took a year off. She was having a rough time after college, and professors left and right were telling her she needed to start applying to schools. However, this girl did the opposite, and took a year off to live with nuns. She didn’t know she’d be living with nuns in her year off, but it happened, and she’s never been more grateful. She said that if she’d jumped right into grad school that not only would her grades have suffered, but she would have as well. She told me she made the right choice, and recommends that most kids out of college do the same. Heading straight into more schooling may seem like a good idea, but in the end, it can really put a strain on you both mentally and physically.
If you can’t take a break, that’s completely understandable, because sometimes taking a break is more hurtful than helpful. All in all, consider it. You never know.
If you decide to take a break after college, you can also use that time to do a multitude of things such as travel, save money, or garner experience elsewhere. By not going to school and working a minimum wage job, you not only get experience working, but also make money in the process. With a job, you can save up for grad school, if or when you decide to apply. However, if grad school isn’t for you, that’s fine as well. It never hurts to have something more to put on your resume before you apply to jobs.
You could even apply for an internship. Even if the internship is unpaid, you get the experience you need. Experience recruiters look for. And if working in the United States isn’t for you, go outside the country. You can either travel for the sake of traveling, or find a job that will give you worldly experience. If you tell employers you taught in another country, they will admire that, and probably be more likely to hire you due to your unique experience.
All in all, traveling is a plus, and even if you don’t get any work experience out of it, it’ll be a great way to de-stress and prepare for the next step of your life. After a difficult 4 or more years of college, it’ll be nice to take a load off to think.
These things aren’t for everyone. Some people don’t want to travel or take a year off and simply want to jump into grad school or a job. And that’s totally fine. Everyone is different, just as everyone’s preferences are different. Basically: you do you. While in college, or after it, take whatever steps you need to feel good about yourself. Never let stress rule your life, or dictate your direction.