you’re not the only one! I graduated three weeks ago and feel like I don’t know what the heck I’m doing. I’m conducting job searches, but I’m not really looking for a “career” yet because I’m not exactly sure what I want to do. I’m pretty sure I want to be a librarian, but there are no library jobs available right now to get my foot in the door. Anyway, sorry to ramble but my point is you’re not alone :)

I graduated from college thinking I knew what I wanted to do with my life… sorta. Then about 1 week into grad school, I realized I had no idea what the hell I’d gotten myself into. I considered lots of things, I tried to figure out how to make it work, and eventually (after one semester) I decided to take time off and get some experience. I haven’t found my dream job, but the path I’m on is allowing me to experience the real world and giving me direction. After a year and a half I now think I know what I’d like to study, but in the mean time I’ve got an excellent job that is teaching me a lot about the world (and that will also be a great resume booster).

So if you decide to go to grad school right away, that’s great. Keep in mind that it’s not the end of the road, though. I plan on going back to grad school, but I don’t necessarily intend on following that career path for the rest of my life – it’s just what’s best for me right now. If you take time off between your undergraduate and graduate programs, embrace it and follow your heart… it will most likely lead you back to school, if that’s where you’re meant to be.