What To Do?? "Gap Year" Options for Seniors

Realizing that today is the first day of December made me more than a little anxious, I have to admit. The fall semester might as well be over by this point, which leaves us with about six measly months until we seniors graduate. Gulp.

By this point, you've probably given some thought to what you're going to do after leaving this fine home of the Jumbos. That doesn't mean you've actually settled on something though.
There are plenty of kids who are heading off to grad school. Others are jumping right into the workforce. And then there are those who still don't have the slightest clue about what to do with themselves (myself included).

Lo and behold...The Gap Year! This can mean different things to different people. For some, it may imply bumming around Amsterdam in a quest to "find" oneself. An interesting plan, but one that may not be easily explained on a resume.

Why do people decide to take a Gap Year? There are a myriad reasons: fear of the poor economy, academic burnout, a desire to try something brand new, etc. Taking this path can certainly be advantageous. You get the chance to be truly independent (not I'm-living-in-a-dorm-room-with-people-I-don't-know independent, but I'm-living-in-a-foreign-country-with-people-who-don't-speak-the-same-language-as-me independent), there are opportunities to develop new skills and talents (which will definitely bolster the resume), you can break out of your comfortable bubble and broaden your perspective on life (corny, but true)...the list goes on and on.

Luckily, there are various options for how to spend a Gap Year. You can locate jobs/internships/teaching programs/travel opportunities in just about any area of interest you could think of. Start off by looking through http://www.gapyear.com/, which features close to 8000 organizations in 123 countries that students can work with. It might seem a little overwhelming at first, but just take your time searching through all the listings, and you should be able to find several different possibilities that appeal to you. Some popular organizations are:

- Americorps (www.americorps.gov)
- Centerstage (www.centerstage.org)
- City Year (www.cityyear.org)
- JET (www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JET/)
- New Morning Farm (www.newmorningfarm.net)
- Public Allies (www.publicallies.org)
- Teach for America (teachforamerica.org)
- SCICON (www.tcoe.org/scicon)

There are also many other resources you can take advantage of to figure out how to spend your Gap Year.

- Log on to the Tufts Career Network and search by Major to see what alumni with similar interests as you are up to. Go ahead and get in touch with them to see what they did after graduation, and whether it might be something you'd be interested in doing too. Read the Career Services Networking and Informational Interviewing packet for advice on contacting alumni.

- Visit the Fellowships and Service section of the Tufts Career Services website. This will bring you to a list of scholarships, fellowships and post graduate internships that might be perfect for devoting your Gap Year to.

- Log on to Webcenter and select Career Services Web Resources from the drop down menu. You will find a variety of different helpful websites. I would concentrate on the Vault Online Library as a resource for exploring different career fields. There is a lot of information to browse through, but with a little patience, you'll be able to locate numerous guides that will give you helpful pointers about what to do during your Gap Year.

The point is, don't be alarmed if you find yourself not jumping into med school right after graduation (or ever, for that matter). Your options after graduation are not limited to grad school or a full time job. There are innumerable opportunities awaiting you should you chose to do something different and take a Gap Year instead. This is an extraordinary time in your life, so be sure to make the most of it!

P.s. This post is devoted to my frazzled friend Brenna. I hope it gives her some comfort.