The summer after college graduation is quite literally the last true summer vacation many of us will have for the rest of our lives. With that, there comes a certain bittersweet feeling of shifting life stages; we are moving into our adult lives, gaining independence in many ways, but also losing it in the sense that we are committing ourselves to careers with far less flexible or lenient schedules than school provided. That said, I absolutely believe that, if you have the opportunity, you should spend your last summer doing something that you want to do, regardless of how that might affect your career. We have our entire lives ahead of us to build our careers, but we do not have endless youthful summers. So, if you want to travel, then travel. If you want to write a book, write a book. If you want to enjoy your hometown liberated from the constraints of academic life, do that. Basically, just enjoy your moment of freedom.
I know it’s hard not to rush into your career. Things are tough right now for young graduates, with job cuts and hiring freezes affecting countless industries. It’s tempting to leap into any potential opportunity that presents itself. But the truth is, there will always be more career opportunities. However, if you miss the opportunity to experience traveling the world with your best friends or partner, rationing your money, exploring and meeting new people while you’re young, you could definitely regret it. And that’s not an experience you can simply make up for in the future. Not to mention, you get insane travel perks while you’re young and a student, and those perks will simply not exist forever.
Personally, as a graduating senior looking to work in digital marketing, specifically in the entertainment industry, I’m nervous about not jumping right into my job search. But I’m committed to traveling Europe for a month after graduation. It’s my opportunity to feel completely liberated, to experience life as an independent young woman before committing myself to a corporate job or back into the rigor of academia in graduate school. I can’t wait to hop from place to place, stay in unique hostels and Airbnbs, casually take the train from London to Edinburgh, visit museums and historic monuments and try a vast array of sweet treats, from croissants to chimney cakes. Not to mention, as a student (or recent graduate), it is not difficult to do these things on a budget.
With special hostels for students and young travelers, as well as extremely affordable Airbnbs (especially if you’re travelling with a larger group or more than one person), finding decent lodging is not as challenging as one might think. I was shocked at the affordability of Airbnbs in Paris, with many being even cheaper for a week than hostels due to extended stay options or the potential to split costs with more than one traveller. Websites like Kayak and Skyscanner are also extremely helpful for locating affordable round-trip flights; you can find non-stop round-trip flights for less than $500.
Student discounts are also extremely popular and easy to come by, which can help reduce the costs of flights, hotels, rental cars and even sightseeing and excursions. UNiDAYS, Expedia and Student Universe are just a few of the countless possible sites you can use to help locate student discounts for traveling. By obtaining the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) either online or at your campus, you can also gain access to incredible discounts and opportunities, from free admission to the British Museum to discounts on public transportation to cashback on Booking.com for hotels.
As recent college graduates (or soon-to-be college graduates), now is the ideal time to experience life beyond our careers or academia. With the opportunity to explore foreign countries and meet new people, as well as the incredible discounts and resources available to young travelers and students, traveling is the perfect way to spend the summer after our senior year of college. Even if you do not want to travel after graduation, take the opportunity to embrace your liberation and bask in your youth for a summer before rushing to work. Future you will be grateful.