Sorry to bother you folks, but I have reached a point in my life that I feel that if I don’t so something now, I’ll end up regretting it for the rest of my life. I’m almost graduating college with a BA in history, and I want to do something with my life before I join the work force.
I have thought about joining the army, but the idea of being waken up 4am by some big bully doesn't go in my favor. Then I was looking into the Peace Corp. and was giving serious thoughts about it...but 2 years..that's a long time.
That is where I am stuck at. I want to do something with my life...travel, experience different culture. But I do not know HOW. I was wondering if you fine folks can help me out here and give me suggestions on what to do with my life..I'm open to almost anything so please...thanks in advance.
Having known a great many people who took off college to pursue stuff before finishing their degrees (myself included), my main advice is FINISH YOUR DEGREE. You’ve got momentum. You’re in the system. Your schedule is school-based. Get that done, then go do whatever. Think of it this way. Which looks better in a job interview:
“I was almost done with my degree but I took off a couple years to hitchhike through Albania.”
“I got my degree in History and then travelled through Albania for two years doing graduate research.”
Oh, and if you join the military with a finished degree, chances are good you’ll be able to land some fairly cushy MOS rather than just being a grunt.
And either the military or the Peace Corp should be viable options for you.
2 years really isn’t all that much time. Think of what you’ll be exposing yourself to over that time. Heck, most new graduates, even though they get a job, just screw around for at least two years before they become serious about their life and career. Heck, I know I did.
So do something to widen your world. Join a relief organization and ask to be sent overseas to help the hungry. Join the Peace Corps and teach. Work odd jobs and roam from town to town in the US. All of those are good options and let you establish yourself to yourself before you begin proudly serving your corporate masters.
After you get the degree, you can look into teaching English in foreign countries. There are web sites dealing with that. You experience other countries/cultures, and you get paid. Peace Corps is laudable, but not for everyone. You could get assigned to a place that might not be comfortable for you. You might have to get up early to do work in a village. I’m speculating. Check things out carefully before signing on the dotted line. Good luck!
Gee…thanx…I am planning to finish my degree but I need help in finding those websites Violet and Jonathan Chance talked about. I already looked at the Peace Corp. and was wondering if there is any other group similar to that where I could go off from where I am (hawaii) and go experience different cultures. And thanx Ethilrist, didn’t know about that part of the army…MAYBE I’ll take that into consideration. Thanks for your help.