What do people do after High School?

What do you plan on doing after you graduate? Are you going straight to college? Are you going to serve your country? Are you taking a year after to volunteer? No college? Factory work? Have no idea?

Just so you know you don't have to go to college right after high school. Not everyone is made to go to college and that is totally okay. Many push students to go to college like it's a bad thing if you don't. I am not entirely sure how many would be in college if not for the pressure and expectations from family members, and while that is good for some students, others obviously might be better off pursuing options other than college. Like you won't make a decent living without having a degree of some sort. Forcing teens to go to college and turns out they are built for it, can cause them to flunk out does more harm than good.

You could travel, go somewhere you have always wanted to and maybe find a skill-based job to get you by. We never said you had to have a traditional job or way of life. Be like a nomad of sorts. I bet you there are people out there that did this after high school and through that they found a job they enjoyed and a place to settle down.

Volunteer work is a good option. It can help you decide that if you really want to go to college or maybe the job you want requires a portfolio, this could be part of that. Volunteering can help you get exposure to experiences that might otherwise not be available at the college or where you live. Many organized volunteer programs have a cost for arranging and managing the logistics, but you can also find free volunteer opportunities in your career field by reaching out to organizations in your area. They may do this if you show that you are willing to work for them long term. Volunteer programs can give you once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and the chance to develop independence, broaden your view on the world and help you meet new people who you can develop meaningful friendships with.

You could join the military. Many teens go into service after graduation. Not only do you get to serve your country, but there are also many opportunities in the military. You could be a doctor, drones operator, communication director. Also, the military offers several benefits. As well as a good paycheck.

You could go straight to working. Many people do, some do it to save for college others do it to build up skills for another important skill-based jobs. Some people think that just working without a degree won't earn you a lot of money. That's wrong. My older brother didn't go to college and he makes more than my mother, who went to medical school and works for the government in a prison. He works at Nestle™ as a forklift driver.

So, in any case, don't feel too bad if your path after high school isn't the same as someone else's.Your path is unique to your needs and your needs alone. As long as you can support yourself you are doing just fine.

"Take a Year Off After High School! But Seriously." GoAbroad.com, www.goabroad.com/articles/gap-year/year-off-after-high-school.

Healy, Jack. "Out of High School, Into Real Life." The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 June 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/us/out-of-high-school-into-real-life.html.