Figuring Out your Next Steps After High School

Finishing high school is a pivotal moment in anyone’s life. Whether you loved or hated it, parting with this stage is a huge shake up to the system. Pressure is still there, and can often be even more demanding as you are now out in the ‘real world’ and have to start playing your part in it. So what exactly is the next step after high school? Below are some useful ideas to help you figure it out.

A Flexible Pathway

If you’ve decided to get a little bit of study under your belt right out of school, but don’t really like the idea of jumping back into structured classrooms and timetables, then flexible learning could be for you. Places like Evocca College and other distance education learning centres provide their students with the option to study at their own pace. This means you can be working as well as building up your practical experience, all while gaining formal qualifications.

Work and Save

Sometimes the best thing to do when you have no idea what to do is to start a job and get some money into your account. Having a bit of extra cash behind you also gives you more options when it comes to making decisions later on. Work also provides life experience, allows you to start bulking out your resume, and gives you a taste of what it means to really be part of the adult world in society. Every piece of experience counts towards something.

Get Some Guidance

It’s actually not such a crazy idea to speak to a guidance councillor or career advisor. These people are trained to help you sort through your individual situation. The same goes for talking through your options with an older friend, parent or confidant. Just because it’s your life, doesn’t mean every decision you make has to be done wholly on your own. Different perspectives and experiences often open some doors or shed light on new ideas you may not have thought twice about before.

See the World

If you already have a bit of cash in savings – or have very generous parents willing to fund the journey – then travel is one of the best things you can do to get your head sorted. Being in high school is like living in a bubble; your experience is limited to your immediate surroundings. You need to make sure you get out and experience life too. Having your eyes opened to different cultures and ways of living can help put your own life in perspective and discover what it is you’re actually passionate about. Travelling also allows you to consider working holidays or gap years, so you can work and play!

Although it may feel as though you’re racing against the clock to get good grades and decide on what you want to do for the rest of your life, it is actually not worth stressing yourself over. You don’t need to make every decision right this second. Take a moment to appreciate what you’ve just accomplished, be open to every opportunity, and take comfort in the fact that you don’t have to have just one career in your entire lifetime.

What are, or were, your biggest worries about life after leaving high school? Discuss your answers below.

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About Dequiana Jackson

Dequiana Jackson, Founder of Inspired Marketing, Inc., helps overachieving women entrepreneurs conquer limiting beliefs and create marketing plans that grow their businesses. This includes one-on-one marketing plan development, digital product creation, web design and content marketing. Dequiana is the author of Know Your Business: How to Attract Ideal Clients & Sell More and runs the award-winning blog, Entrepreneur-Resources.net.

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