For the class of 2019, June is rapidly approaching and the reality of graduation, and plans for next year are becoming more and more important. And while we spend our entire year talking about college, and everything that involves that, four years at a state university is not the only option for us.

What most people don’t talk about is everything that you can do with your time, that takes place outside of going to college. Gap year programs, traveling, getting work experience, are all options that exist outside of attending college. And don’t get me wrong, college is very important, and you should attend, but who says you have to jump directly from twelve grades of schooling, to another four? This article is going to be the beginning of a mini series based around everything you can do next year, that does not take place in a dorm room.

Obviously, one of the most straight forward options would be to take a year off, and jump into the workforce, likely in hopes of saving up some more cash before jumping into tuition and housing fees. This is one of the easier, and more realistic options. Jumping into the workforce has a ton of benefits that come along with it. You are able to get some work experience under your belt, and this means more to people then you would expect. Having even a few months of work experience can set you ahead of other applicants when it comes down between you and them.

Having open availability is also a huge key to having a job, open availability is super helpful when you are striving for more hours, and potentially moving up in whatever company you are involved in. Both part time and full time jobs are constantly looking for new members and while many people leave for college, many positions are left open and up for grabs. Keeping these alternatives in mind is really important, and next we will talk about gap years and the gap year programs that are out there.