Fall semester is basically over, and for some of you this might be your last year as an undergraduate. If that simple statement has you on the brink of a mental breakdown, I am here to say it does not need to be that scary.

So you're graduating, and therefore you are supposed to immediately get a job, because that is the only way you will be happy, successful, or appear to have your life together, right?

Wrong.

You have the option of taking a gap year, which for some reason no one seems to ever talk about. I know graduation is scary enough, let alone with the idea of not jumping into a career right away after graduation. But hear me out. A gap year with an organization such as City Year can give you the chance to truly find your purpose and launch your career.

City Year is an education organization that makes taking a gap year after graduating worthwhile. Fueled by national service, City Year partners with public schools in high poverty urban communities to help students graduate from high school ready for college and career success. City Year AmeriCorps members spend 11 months working with students where they directly support academic achievement and student engagement in and out of the classroom.

I know what might be going through your mind. "I am not an education major, I DO NOT CARE." *Continues mental breakdown*

That's okay, you don't have to be.

Through this program you will gain leadership development and professional skills that will help build your resume regardless of your desired career path. City Year’s 22,500+ alumni have become leaders in education, nonprofit organizations, medicine, law, government, business, the arts, and many other fields.

During your year of service, you will work with a partner teacher and your team to find solutions to complex issues within the community. The process you will be involved in to help overcome these challenges will make you more desirable to future employers.

You can learn more about how service with City Year can translate to your future career success here.

As for additional benefits, City Year AmeriCorps members get a living stipend of $564 (before taxes) every two weeks, optional health insurance, public transportation passes in many cities, and the Segal Education Award ($5,734) to help repay federal student loans or to bank away for graduate school.

Yes, graduation is creeping up sooner than you probably want it to, but you can relax. So go get a bowl of cereal (that always makes me feel better) and try not to spill it on your laptop as you research more about City Year and what taking a gap year with this organization can do for you.