For those that graduated this past May, some of you still might be doing this...
If there’s one thing college kids hate to think about, it’s the real world. Life after college should be the dream, the end goal and the epitome of our studies but, in reality, it’s reminiscent of a black hole.
The unknowingness is scary enough, but top it off with the country’s 6.7 percent unemployment rate and it really gets us scared.
There’s nothing more depressing than being asked your future plans when you have no plans and, let’s face it, the only real world we want to be thinking about is the MTV show and the only plans we have are the ones for tonight. I know college is supposed to be in the forefront of our lives and the stepping stone to our careers but, lately, I’ve been finding more and more ways to avoid the real world that everyone seems to rave about. Here are four sure fire ways to avoid the looming future...so recent grads, listen up.
1. Go to grad school. I am not saying that this will be any easier than the real world, but it will certainly help the transition from being a crazy college student to a responsible working citizen. It means taking one more standardized test, the GMAT or the GRE, but it beats a 9-5.
2. Take a trip. Travel around Europe, Asia, or wherever your heart desires, and come back with endless stories and a sense of the world. Maybe you’ll even come back with the realization that you are lucky enough to be in a country where you can even dream of getting a job.
3. Become a fifth year senior. Staying an extra year or semester at college has become the new norm. There’s nothing like taking that one extra year to realize that those past four were the best you will ever have. If you have already graduated, it is too late for this option. If you haven't, it's a great time to add on that second major or minor.
4. Get an internship. An internship is a less stressful way of being thrown into the 'real world'. The best part of any internship is the group of interns you will meet throughout that you can keep as contacts as you transition to the future. The contacts within the company also can help you land that dream job that you previously thought was out of reach.
Personally, I would opt for choice 1 through 3, but similar to my aversion for growing up, I also hate to make important life choices, so I will leave that up to you.
