4 Reasons Post-Grads Should Travel First, Find A Job Second

As a senior in my final weeks of university, I've been doing a lot of thinking about my past, present and future. In the past few months I have experienced a slew of emotions with regard to life after college: fear, excitement, happiness, sadness, and confusion. Mostly, I’m just nervous. I understand that I am expected to go off with my degree and contribute to society, but what’s the rush?

When did it become the stigma that we have to just jump right into everything with no room to even tread in this deep water? How can we be expected to dive headfirst without being given some time to doggy-paddle a bit?

There are so many great reasons to take time off between university and the work field. More importantly, we should want to take this moment of time to use solely on ourselves. Of course we are given vacation days, but when am I going to be able to tell my boss that I’m taking three months off to travel Europe?

So we should choose this point in time for us. University can feel like one big circus act. We learn how to balance academics, social life, part-time jobs and internships. All of us undergraduates became acrobats– the cirque du solei of academia, if you will. But in that time we may feel as though we lost sight of so many other things that made us individuals.

Sure, four years gave a lot of time to grow up and self-discover, but who are we outside of university? Who am I outside of college is a question I’m unsure of and feel as though jumping into a full-time job would leave me wondering something similar; who am I outside of this?

This is why I chose to explore the world and all its natural glory right after graduation. Who I am can be better revealed to me outside the walls of a private institution or a cubicle. How can we truly understand the power of our abilities if they’re only ever put to the test during times of stress? I believe we can be powerful at everything, not just school, socializing, or working; everything.

After graduation I will backpack Europe for three months and deal with the job search when I return. Here are 4 reasons people should take time off between college and work:

1. You Figure Out Who You Are 

You know who you are as a student and maybe even as an employee, but who are you as just you? Undoubtedly, you can name redeeming qualities about yourself and accomplishments, but can you answer who you are as a human being?

This in-between period allows time to determine who we are as more than just adjectives falling into categories. It’s a time where you figure out that you’re a dreamer of all things glorious, dedicated to helping others, passionate about living life etc. Not just the generic words we place on a resume like kind, intelligent, dedicated.

2. You Determine What You Want 

You have so much free time to think, dream and discover and not in the way you do at school or at work. In either of those settings (most of the time) your brain is in overdrive and focused on completing assigned tasks.

When you travel, your mind is in the present and it’s easy to match thoughts to emotions when you’re clear-headed and in a positive mindset. Getting a taste of new culture, food, and scenery has a way of expanding the mind to chartered territory that may help lead you down a more desired path.

3. You Challenge Yourself In A Brand New Way 

Traveling this long on your own teaches you budgeting on an entirely new level. It’s a crash course in money management because you have to think about transportation, housing, food and activities with very little time to plan.

This may be challenging but it also prepares you immensely for the real deal, and times when you can no longer call your parents to deposit some extra dollars into your account. You learn to handle your own situation.

 4.Your Sense of Adventure Will Motivate You 

Your new found sense of adventure sparks a hunger inside you that will also play a role in your work life at some point. Traveling can spark a thirst for meeting new people, learning new things, and accepting your failures with grace. These are all amazing qualities to bring forward into the workplace.