I recently heard the term “Victory Lap,” in one of my classes. My professor was explaining the theory and said, “after you graduate college, many take a victory lap which means ...” and I finished the sentence with, “run around the school naked, right?” Wrong. Although, the naked lap is in fact a thing, because I have seen it first hand.

So, what is this “Victory Lap?” It is the time after graduating college, where you may not know what the hell to do with your life. You didn't end up landing the job you wanted, you may not have worked as hard in college as you should have, or maybe it dawned on you that life is short and you have plenty of time to start working, so why not just take a victory lap?

My professor then went on to tell us about when he graduated from college, he had no plans, saved up some money and lived in Paris for six months so he could, “hang out for a bit.” This was his victory lap. After that, he did some more traveling, learned a lot, and then decided to go back to school to become a professor. He is now a successful professor at my university and loves his job. The best thing about his story is that he does not regret any of the decisions that he has made. And believes he would not be where he is now, if he did not take time off when he finished school, to focus on himself. It was at that moment when I decided that I am a full supporter of the victory lap.

Although I did not call it a victory lap, this is something I have always seen myself doing after school. I know that I want to take some time for myself to travel and see more of the world while I am young and have less responsibilities on my plate. Whether it is traveling, volunteering, or pursuing a dream that may have nothing to do with your college degree, if that is what you want to do, you should do it.

I try to live my life with very few regrets and sometimes it is easier said than done. One reason being, I make so many mistakes. I find myself not always using my head and neglecting to think about the consequences of my actions, which usually results in a variety of f**k ups. However, I rarely regret the mistakes I have made, because as we have all been told, you can't learn if you don't mess up every once in a while. I am a firm believer in that statement.

Nothing scares me more than the thought of living an unhappy life. I would much rather take time off than jump into something that I know will not bring me joy.

I am not saying that those people who graduate college and immediately start working should regret their decision or that it's the wrong decision. Of course, every individual is different and if you have a set path for your life, follow it! This is directed more toward the people who may not yet be on that path. Those of you who may not have the answers when asked, “what do you want to do with your life?” This is for college graduates or seniors, who feel they need to know what they will be doing with their future right away.

If you don't have the answers yet, no sweat! Take a victory lap.

If you want to hold off on joining the real world right away, don't worry. Take a victory lap.

If you don't know who you are yet and need to explore and figure it out. Take a victory lap.

Heck, if you're 45, hate your job and need a change, take a frickn' victory lap!

So, the next time you feel anxious about the future, don't. You have options. Life passes us by at a miraculous speed and it would be a shame to not be living it the way you want. Do things that make you happy. And if taking a victory lap will do that for you, just remember this: It's a marathon and not a sprint, take your time, remember to breathe, and give yourself a huge pat on the back when you have finished.