Graduating is stressful. Not only are you still in school taking classes, possibly interning somewhere, and maybe working too, but you also have to start thinking about what you’re doing after school.
What do I do? What should I do? What is everyone else doing?
With the number of paths to go down, and no idea how to pick which one, it can be overwhelming and confusing. And so, with this article, I hope to take some of the weight off your shoulders by providing you with insight into deciding your post-grad plans.
The Paths You Can Take
- Take the Summer Off
- Maybe you just want a break from the past four years of school. And that’s okay. You worked hard to get to where you’ve got; you deserve a break. Consider taking the summer off to relax and really decide what you want to do come August/September. And maybe, once you have an idea, use that time off to begin searching and applying for jobs!
- Look for a Summer Paid Internship
- You may feel like you need more experience before you begin a job. Or, you may want a low-commitment option before signing your life away to one. Whichever the case may be, summer paid internships are a great option. Not only will you gain further experience outside of your academic setting, but you will be doing so in an environment that ends in three to six months, with no long-term commitment required.
- Get a Full-time Job
- Of the most obvious choices, it might be your time to begin applying for full-time jobs! If you’re in the right head space of knowing what you want to do, and you just can’t wait to get out there and start doing just that, a full-time job is for you. And as a friendly reminder: don’t get discouraged if your first job is the worst. Or if your second job isn’t any better. Not every job will be the best job, but that’s okay because there are plenty more out there waiting for you.
- Continue your Education
- Maybe you can’t get enough of school. Or there’s this awesome program you heard about. Or, continuing with school is required for your major. Whatever it may be, continuing to go to school can provide you with further information, experience, resume-builders, portfolio pieces, etc. And who doesn’t want to stay in college anyways?
The Path I’m Taking
To be quite frank, I was all over the place when deciding what I wanted to do post-grad. One minute I was applying to internships because I wanted more experience, the next I was applying to full-time jobs because I felt that’s what everyone else was doing, and the next I was searching for programs to further my education. I was overwhelmed and confused, to say the least. Â
In the end, I knew of a 4-week intensive summer program at New York University that I just had to take my chances with. And guess what? I got in. So that’s where I’ll be come June, studying at NYU. After that though? I have absolutely no idea. And that’s totally okay with me.
So, take it from me, I know graduating can be stressful, there are just SO many possibilities and opportunities that await you. Choose what’s right for you. Or, don’t choose at all for right now. I mean, what’s the rush anyways? Â