As students, we constantly hear the same questions; “Where are you going for college?” “What do you want to study?” “What will your career be?” All of these questions can feel overwhelming – especially since we don’t know all of the answers right away. However, students should find solace in the fact that it’s totally okay to not know everything. Learning to be at ease with what’s uncertain can actually prove to be one of the most valuable lessons we learn.
If you are feeling stifled by the societal pressures of having an elaborate plan that feeds you in to adulthood, you are not alone. The truth is, many adults will assure you that they themselves did not have everything figured out at our age; in fact, many adults are still figuring things out now. So, students, adapt your mindset; not knowing exactly what comes next is an opportunity to discover, learn, and grow.
While you don’t have to have everything figured out now, you might be itching to take a next step. Everyone navigates through life at their own pace, and it is important to take a look at some suggestions that might be a better fit if you are not yet able to make a decision and jump into an inflexible plan.
1. Take a Gap Year
A gap year is the perfect opportunity to become more cultured and discover your personal identity. This period of time can direct any uncertain individual to a potential path they could pursue in the future. A gap year can be taken right after high school, between college semesters, or the military. Many take a gap year to volunteer, travel, gain work experience through a job or internship, and even save money for higher education. Through several studies, it has been proven that gap year students do tend to return to school with higher motivation, better performance than their peers, and on average, tend to graduate earlier!
2. Explore Community College
Community college may be the ideal option for any student in search of lower tuition costs, smaller class sizes, and flexible schedules. Additionally, many community colleges offer programs where students can transfer to four-year universities; therefore, it is still possible to earn a Bachelors’ degree in addition to an Associates’ degree while taking this path. As a more cost-effective option, students are able to take more time to explore career paths before committing to a major or specific career.
3. Searching for Internships or Beginner-Friendly Jobs
If further education is not an immediate priority, getting hands-on experience in the work force can also prove to be a valuable use of time. By getting a job, internship, or shadowing someone, this level of exposure can be more appealing to someone who is not fond of sitting and learning in a classroom. Everyone has different needs and requires alternate methods to learn. Therefore, by building one’s skills, adding to their résumé, and discovering true passion, one might learn a whole lot about themself- in not only professional ways, but also in personal. Ariel Zhou (11) says, “I want to find work to really discover what I want to pursue in the future. I think it will provide a lot of insight for me.”
It is important to keep in mind that there’s no specific timeline to success.Though pressure surrounding discovery of identity demands haste, the fact remains that perhaps only gradual development can be achieved with continued trial and error, reflection, as well as unexpected detours.
