If you’re like me and are close to graduating, I’m sure you are feeling the impending weight of the, “So what are your plans after you graduate?” question. I’m here to tell you that it is okay if you do not have an answer yet. It can feel overwhelming when everyone around you seems to have a plan. As someone getting two vastly different degrees, English and Biomedical Sciences, I can’t tell you the amount of times people have asked me what I’m going to do with them. I’ll let you in on a little secret…I have no idea what I want to do. 

At first, this was a scary realization to have. I had put years into my prospective careers, and now, I not only wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue with those, but I had no idea what kind of career I was even interested in. Then, I realized that I didn’t need to have it figured out. Nobody said that I had to get a job straight out of college that would be my career for the rest of my life. Nobody said that I had to go to grad school straight from undergrad. So, take a deep breath. You don’t need to have it figured out. 

There are some ways to ease your mind. Start by establishing a timeline for yourself. This doesn’t have to be a detailed list with start and end dates, but give yourself some parameters for when you generally want to have certain things planned out. If you have no idea where you want to start, then start by figuring out whether or not you want to go straight into grad school. If you do, then you just need to figure out for what and start doing some research. If you do or don’t want to go straight into grad school from undergrad, then you have some options.

There is no ‘right’ way to leave undergrad, you just leave. 

It’s going to feel uncomfortable, and it’s going to be scary, but sometimes you just have to take the leap forward. There doesn’t have to be a plan, and you don’t have to have your future mapped out. People are always trying to make it seem like if you don’t have a plan after graduation, then you are a failure. You’re not. You’re just figuring things out. 

If you really don’t know what you want to do, then pick a place you want to live. If you can afford it, then make the move. Look for jobs once you move to that place. Sometimes a place could hold the key to you figuring out what career is best for you. Again, it doesn’t have to be a job in the field you have a degree in. Just get a job. 

Take a gap year and save up money. Take a risk and apply for your dream job. Anything you do can only give you a better idea of where you are at with employers and what you may need to do to build your resume. If you don’t land your dream job, then apply for internships. Build your resume and try again. There is no such thing as a clear-cut path after graduation. 

Be proud of what you accomplished in undergrad. You’ll get to where you want to be and you’ll figure out what you want to do. Don’t let the amount of time it takes for you to get there discourage you from ever trying.