This summer marks the end of an era for those graduating in 2017- and after three or four years of solid work, you can finally collect your hard earned degree. But what do you do next? Some people have a clear plan and have their lives mapped out, but others might be a bit more unsure- or just plan on taking it as it comes.Go on a Gap Year.
For some people, it’s best to strike while the iron is hot, and go straight from university to the next step in their plan. For others, a year out might be exactly what’s needed. Maybe you really struggled to get through your course, or are left feeling completely wiped out and exhausted. Maybe you’re not sure what the next logical step for you is? Taking a gap year allows you to travel and see new places before settling down to a life at work. You could volunteer, you could spend some time with your family who you’ve probably been away from for a significant amount of time.
In your free time, writing a blog, starting a Youtube channel or creating an Etsy business could allow you to earn a little extra money, or you could get some ‘easy’ work in a non-academic field to allow you to save a little while you’re off.
Continue Studying.
Continuing studying is another option once you finish university. If you have a specific career path you’re hoping to reach, you will have to specialize and continue your studies further. If you don’t fancy living away from home for another couple of years (or your university doesn’t have the subject you want to take), you could look into postgraduate courses online. You could even move back into your family home and save yourself money on rent and bills. Online courses are generally more flexible too, so you should still have time to do some part-time work, socialize and have hobbies around it.
You could continue studying in your chosen degree area at postgraduate level, or you could use the opportunity to broaden your horizons a little and go with something else. It’s ok to change your mind about your career path at postgraduate level, in fact now is a great time to do it. If you realized that the original course you chose three years ago isn’t what you want to do, better to change now than end up in a job later down the line, you’re not passionate about.
Find a Job.
If you’re done with studying and want to get out into the world of work, applying for jobs after university is a logical step. It’s useful doing this now as you can seek the advice of your tutors during the application phase, and they can write you references while you’re still fresh in their minds! Since universities teach so many students, in a year or two they might not even remember you. Applying for jobs in your field once you have a degree is tough and something you need to get right since there will be intense competition.
