If you’ve just finished uni, life can seem daunting. A formative part of your life is coming to an end and your future may feel uncertain. Don’t worry, that’s totally normal. But really, you should be excited! You now have the freedom to pursue whatever you want. Plus, you might never have to hand in an assignment again!
The common misconception about life in ‘the real world’ is that there aren’t many choices left for you. However, as you’ll see by the following, there are still plenty of great ways to get the most out of your next step…
Work
The obvious and biggest starting point. Work is a key part of life and the sooner you can start working towards a happy and successful career, the better.
Contrary to popular belief, starting from the bottom can be a lot of fun. You’re likely to find a lot of graduates in similar positions as you when you start your first job. And working with them will mean you can enjoy the same camaraderie as when you started university. Not only that, it feels really rewarding to know you are building a future for yourself and striving towards a bigger goal.
Of course, there’s always one massive reason to get excited about work and that’s money. With your earnings you can finally do the things you could never afford as a student and maybe even fund your own independent projects too.
Internships
Internships are a great way to get in with a good company, while also gaining valuable experience that looks great on a CV.
From the smallest companies to giant corporations, such as Barclays, Microsoft and O2, you’d be surprised at what’s on offer for young workers today. Search for one that suits you and email the company to gain more details or find a way to apply. You can also speak to recruiters to see what’s available.
Try and sell yourself the best you can, if all you get is a good contact, that’s still a success. It might sound one-sided but volunteering can also be really worthwhile. Although you won’t be making money right away, looking back in five years, it could be the best decision you ever made.
Travelling
If all you’ve ever known is the world of education, maybe it’s time you cast your net out a little further. As everyone always says, travelling is a fantastic way to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures, see and do life-changing things and maybe even surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
What’s just as important, however, is that travelling gives you the opportunity to put things into perspective. You’ll have time to think and work out what you really want to do with your life, which could prove to be the most valuable part of all.
Further Study
While higher education opens a lot of doors, postgraduate education can really swing those doors wide open.
If there is a certain aspect of your field that you’re really passionate about, this could be the perfect chance to gain more knowledge and experience in it. Then, when you’ve completed your course, you’ll have an even better crack at starting a career you’re excited for.
If that’s not good enough, there’s always the added incentive of living the student life for just a little longer!
Relocation
For some students, the hardest part of university ending is having to leave the city they studied in. But this doesn’t always have to be the case.
You may find that relocating to your chosen city is a great way to stay close to friends, keep your independence and open up more career opportunities. Or, if you’re feeling brave, why not aim for a job or internship in another country? There are a lot of opportunities for young people all over the world now, especially those who are graduates.
Outgrowing your hometown is often very natural; don’t feel guilty, now you’ll just have two homes!
