After high school, you are expected to move away to college and start figuring out your life at eighteen. You spend four years trying to figure out your likes and dislikes while also balancing the new atmosphere of stress, anxiety and dependency to feel like you’re not alone. College is a scary place at first, and then it becomes your favorite place to be. You fall in love with the friends you make, you keep a schedule that best fits you and you have one hell of a time finding yourself. But then, years 22, 23, and 24 roll around and you find yourself standing with a diploma at graduation, not having a clue what you’re supposed to do with your future. But the reality of it is that it’s okay.

The best part about graduating is that you don’t have to start your career just yet, nor do you even have to actually use your degree. You’re in your late twenties, and your life is just beginning. During college, you may have been so driven and in the college mindset, that you didn’t do a lot of “finding yourself.” That’s why taking a gap year or years after college can be extremely beneficial. I think it’s silly when people look at those who have just graduated and wonder why they’re not in a big corporate job yet or heading straight to graduate school. So far, you’ve spent your whole life in school, ever since you were six. I’m saying it’s okay to not jump the gun right after graduation and start your life just yet. You’ve been moving nonstop since you were in middle school, you may need time to just work on bettering yourself.

During your gap year, you can do whatever you want; whether it’s working part time, traveling the world, working on your bucket list or even reconnecting with old friends. It is a time to just focus on you and your life. It is the only time you have total control of your choices and making sure that what you decide to do for your career, is exactly what will make you happy. You don’t want to regret your life choices later down the road because you were young and rushed in making your decisions for your future.

So, I’m telling you that taking a gap year or years is okay -- even more than okay, it’s great. Everyone needs to have the adventure of just living, at least once in their lives. So go out, and explore your life.