*Collaborative post.
Are you in your final year of uni? If so, are you worried about what will happen when you graduate? It can seem like such a massive step in your life. For many, this is when you finally feel like an independent adult as you finish your education. For others, this is an anxious time as there are so many decisions you still need to make.
I can’t explicitly tell you what you should do after graduation. But I can make a few suggestions or show you the best options. Hopefully, this helps you make the right decision.
Keep Studying
The first option is to keep studying. Get a Master’s degree, and then possibly entertain the idea of a Ph. D! You could even try for an Ed. D after your Master’s, but as Bradley University notes, this is mainly for people that want a career in academic leadership. Still, the point is that you have lots of extra options to continue your education. This can be a smart idea – or possibly even essential – depending on your chosen career path. Some industries and jobs are highly competitive, meaning you need to keep studying to set yourself apart from excellent qualifications.
Find A Job
Another obvious course of action is to head out and find a job. If you want to do this, then be sure to set the wheels in motion before you graduate. Line up job interviews, look for graduate jobs, and so on. It can seem scary applying for jobs, but wasn’t that the point of university? Ideally, you want a job that either relates to your degree or uses your degree to some advantage. Listen, you might not find your dream job, but that doesn’t matter. There’s plenty of time for a career change, so think more about getting your foot in the door. The earlier you can start making money, the better!
Travel
Lots of people leave uni and go travelling for a while. It sounds like a lazy thing to do – almost like you’re avoiding this big decision. However, it can actually be a smart choice. When else will you get the time to travel again? When you start work, your life becomes dedicated to it. So, use this unique opportunity to see as much of the world as possible. Also, what if you graduate and still don’t know what to do in life? Travelling is a great way to experience new things and finally decide what it is you’d like to do. A year of travel can clear your mind and stop you from making a poor career choice early on! It’s not for everyone, but this could be the right move for you.
Most of you will – and should – fall into either of these three categories. No option is the ‘best’; it varies from person to person. One thing I can say is that you absolutely want to have some sort of plan before you graduate. The worst-case scenario is that you leave uni with no clue what to do. Here, you’re likely to waste so many weeks and months doing absolutely nothing!