What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do After College

What do you do after college if you don’t have a clear plan—and don’t want to panic your way into one? Most graduates are pushed to decide fast: grad school, a “real job,” or something impressive enough to explain at family gatherings. Too often, that pressure leads to expensive, rushed choices that look responsible but feel wrong.

What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do After College is a practical, grounded guide to ten legitimate post-college options that buy you time without wasting it.

These aren’t fantasies or hustle schemes. They’re real programs and paths—some paid, some unpaid, some uncomfortable—that thousands of people use to slow down, gain clarity, and make better long-term decisions.

This book takes an honest look at options like:

• International service and teaching programs
• National and community service
• Seasonal work in wild places
• Research, travel, and ship-based programs
• Short-term service opportunities (and which ones to be cautious about)

Each chapter breaks down what life actually looks like, how the money works, why employers and graduate schools care (or don’t), and what people tend to do afterward. No hype. No guilt. No pretending every path is for everyone.