Congratulations, you are now at the phase of your life where everything and anything is possible… but seems impossible at the same time. Right now, you have nothing but your college diploma to your name. You’re still living with your parents, and you haven’t proven anything yet except that you can survive college or university. Sure, you are eager to face new challenges. You are afraid, but you don’t want to waste time.
Before you submit those credentials to potential employers, pause and give yourself time to think (that is, if you can afford to do so). You have before you so many options. Do you go to graduate school? Are you enough? Do you have what it takes to compete in the real world? Shouldn’t you take a break first?
Give Yourself Time to Think
Adulthood washes over you most unexpectedly. One day, you’re drinking beer with your college buddies after an internship program. The next thing you know, you’re dealing with clients left and right, juggling a relationship, and, soon enough, changing diapers. No sign says you’re already an adult. You’ll wake up one day with so many bills to pay that your head is reeling.
Take that break. There is no better time to take that break when you haven’t started making a name for yourself. This is the best time for you to see the world, set your goals, sleep, and focus on yourself. Because once you work or start a business, you’ll only really stop when you’re old and gray and ready to retire. That’s the reality of life.
Check out Long-term Investments
You cannot live in your parents’ house forever (although some Zoomers do that). At the same time, you cannot live in a studio-type apartment for life. You will need to buy a house one day, so it’s better to know what kind of market is waiting for you when you are ready. Talk to some mortgage lenders. Get an idea of the interest rates today to know what to face in the future. In a few years, you’re going to be thinking about mortgages. Yes, it doesn’t seem so right now, but you will see.
Consider Becoming an Entrepreneur
You will rarely find people who are 100% genuinely happy with their jobs. Even those who earn big will tell you it’s hard to work for anyone. With this in mind, why don’t you try to become an entrepreneur yourself? Indeed, you’ve thought of that these past years. Zoomers are building their empires right now. The average age of business owners has gotten younger through the years.
Ask family members and friends for some advice. You have to consider many things if you plan to be self-employed, but it is also one of the best decisions you can make for yourself. You’ll put your degree to good use. Not to mention, you will also have complete control of your ideas, time, and what little money you have. Sure, it’s scary to think about being on your own, but there’s no better time to dive into it than now.
Apply for an Internship
Are you still not sure of what path to take? Do you want to pursue your degree or diverge a little? An internship is just what you need. Why training and not an actual job? You get a stipend in an internship without the heavy responsibilities of being employed. It’s like testing the water before you dive into it. You want to get a feel of what the industry is like. Sure, you already had this when you were in college, but it’s different when you’re already done with college.
Moreover, you can check out internships unrelated to your course. Most companies are willing to give you the time of day. Everyone needs an extra pair of hands. In return, you’ll gain more experience than the four years you were in college.
Go Someplace New
This is the only time you will have the absolute freedom to see the world. Go and seek new adventures. Once you are employed, you’re going to have so many responsibilities. And a few years down the road, you’ll settle in a relationship, build your life and your future, get married, have kids, and think about retirement. It’ll be so fast that you will barely have time to see the world in-between. Be kind to yourself. Do this while you’re young and able.
If there is anything the pandemic taught you, it should be that life is too short to get burdened by anything. So think long and hard about the kind of career you want after college because you’ll be sticking with it for a long time. Take time if you need to. Yet, at the same time, the pandemic also taught you to take care of the realities of the future by saving, investing and preparing.
