Should I Travel After College? Or Find a Job?

Graduating college is a huge change. Oftentimes upon leaving college, you’re stuck and not quite sure what to do next. This is especially difficult if you’ve never had a clear idea of what you wanted to do in the first place. Maybe you just ended up doing some vague major like liberal arts (guilty!). Post-college life usually might face you with two options – should I travel or should I find a job? There are pros and cons to each of these choices and I’ll address a few of them below.

Why Should You Travel?

Many people lean towards traveling after college for a variety of reasons. It’s the perfect time to see the world and have fun before you have a load of responsibility on their shoulders in the form of a spouse, kids, mortgage or job. If you don’t know what you want to do post-college, you may hope that being exposed to a variety of different ideas and cultures will help you sort out your life. This can certainly be the case with some travel. You might also fancy the idea of traveling because it will finally allow you a little private time to help you transition between college and the working world. A more accusatory comment often lobbed against post-college travelers is that they’re not willing to become adults and enter the working world, thus they seek to extend their carefree life by escaping responsibility and running aimlessly around the world. And for some people that is ok. Life is short so you should do what makes you happy.

The Logistics of Taking Off

Before you decide to travel after a college, there are several things you’ll need to consider though. Unless you’ve been saving up throughout college or your parents are footing the travel bill, how will you be able to afford your trip? There’s only so much money you can make doing odd jobs in foreign countries. Will it damage your future career if you take time off instead of diving straight into the job market? Why do you want to travel – is it because you truly enjoy it or because you’re trying to escape from something? Those are just a few questions you might want to ask before you book your ticket. If you’re a more adventurous soul then you likely wont need my questions to help you decide. And on the other side, if traveling scares you then you’re probably leaning towards staying home and getting to work. Before you make a decision either way, make sure to weigh out both options because this is a pretty serious decision.

Why Should You Get a Job?

Earning money is the number one reason why people get jobs after college instead of traveling. Having a job promotes a far more stable and steady lifestyle than traveling does. Most jobs require you to stay in place and hopefully you’re in a situation that promises to be long term. A job can help you start saving money for the future or help make your resume look good so you can find an even better jobs later on. In tough times like these, getting a job is sometimes a necessity, not a choice. Those are just a few reasons why you might want to stick around town and get those resumes polished.

These Decisions Aren’t Easy

Some graduates who have gotten jobs worry that they’re missing out by not traveling. Some graduates who are traveling fret over the fact that although they may feel personally enriched by their experiences, in the long run it will do nothing for their bank account or work experience. For these people, there is a third, usually overlooked, option. Why not try to find a job that requires traveling? It may be more difficult to find such a position, but they are out there. For example, teaching English in foreign countries is a great way to combine a job and travel at the same time. Writers, photographers, journalists, and people that work online are all workers that can travel and work. The list could go on and on so make sure to keep that in mind when you’re making your decision. Good luck with your choice.

Mark Avery is a writer from the car rental comparison website CarRentalExpress.com.