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“Moving away from home at a time when I was most vulnerable was also the time I was most willing to learn about new things.”
—Kate Ward, 24, did a volunteer program in San Franciso
“Bypass the rush of college graduates that scurry into the job market with unchecked enthusiasm and desire for stability and income. Going your own way will put you on a valuable path.”
—Alejandra Lopez-Fernandini, 25, worked in Peru
“I have hitchhiked in Ireland, joined and quit the Peace Corps, volunteered in Croatia, and most recently moved to Las Vegas for graduate school. If you are willing to risk failing and make a fool of yourself a few times, I think you can learn how to succeed and flourish in any culture or situation.”
—Andrea Gregovich, 28, bartended at a fishing lodge in Alaska
“Deciding to live abroad is, without a doubt, the best decision I ever made. Everyone thought I was crazy when I just took off to live in Italy after graduating from UCLA.”
—Jen Brant, 28, nannied and worked in Italy and Switzerland
“Plans can be changed, life calendars can be altered, and in the long run you will feel gratified for having done what made you happiest at that time.”
—Kelly Tobin, 29, taught English in Japan for the JET Program
“My goal after graduating from college was to take a ’productive pause.’ I was tired of school, had never been out of the United States..I really wanted to combine travel with career exploration.”
—Alicia Bannon, 25, researched in Kenya for an economics professor
“I may be delaying something-maybe owning a dog, buying a car, or joining a bowling league-but I’m quite sure it’s no more deserving of the title ‘real world’ than what I’m living.”
—Ned Smith, researched migration and wrote for a newspaper in Taiwan
“Taking this year off (or, as my father says, ‘taking this year on!!!’) before graduate school was definitely a good idea. I have driven through torrential rain in the Sahara, ridden a camel on the beach, and watched real-life snake charmers.”
—Sarah Izfar, 22, Fulbright fellow in Fez, Morocco
“Think about where you want to be in ten years or twenty years and the types of stories you want to be able to tell about your life. Life is just too short to do anything other than create your own path. You may not know how all the pieces will ultimately fit together. That is part of the fun. Just focus on following your gut and pursuing your dreams.”
—David Schacht, 30, quit an investment banking job to go work in France and Chile
“I went into the Peace Corps and one thing I was worried about was missing out on all of the cool stuff family and friends would be doing while I was away. But even after two years, I didn’t miss a beat. To sum up what happened, I was away having an amazing experience while my friends who entered the "real world" were hating their jobs and wishing they had done something more exciting.”
—Rob Marek, 28, did the Peace Corps in Namibia
“Although the road less traveled is often plagued with steep hills and deep potholes, the journey is guaranteed never to be dull.”
—Kriss Barker, 40, did Peace Corps in Swaziland, worked on a yacht, did AIDS education in Haiti, worked on an archeological dig in Latin America, and much, much more!
“Though I was tempted to go straight to law school, I knew I wouldn’t have a chance like this again: a period of time with no responsibilities other than to my dreams. How could I pass that up?”
—Lara Kislinger, 23, volunteered in Israel with Project Otzma
“The best advice I can offer is to trust your instincts when making a decision..Oh, and don’t make plans for after your scheduled ‘time’ is up. You might just find your niche and postpone the real world forever.”
—Emily Roebuck, 24, helped pioneer a tuition-free, college prep school in San Diego |
“I take issue with this notion that leaving the conventional path to follow some personal dreams and adventures is somehow a ‘year off.’ I think many people who are brave enough to start doing it for a year, end up leading a ‘life on’ instead of a ‘life off.’ ”
—Carl Shepherd, 26, biked across the continental U.S.
“Speak to any fifty-year-old about your dreams for adventure and he will tell you, ‘Do it now; you can’t do it later.’ My advice? Follow your passion.”
—Roger Loughney, 24, worked as a white-water rafting guide and then was hired as sales manager of the company
“Many of my classmates spent their senior years scrambling to fire off resumes, concoct cover letters, and interview for all types of ‘jobs that paid money.’ Early on, however, I had decided that the real world could wait for one more summer. So I decided to bike across America.”
—Mike Zimmer, 24, ended up with the shapely backside he was hoping for and saw a lot of roadkill
“My advice is that if you have a passion for something, whether it is athletics, the arts, academics, or something totally unique, follow that passion and don’t wait. I believe that every day you postpone a dream you weaken it a little bit. The longer you wait, the less likely you will ever chase it.”
—Andy Liverman, 24, Olympic Rower
“Oh, and did I mention that I taught Britney Spears how to walk uphill on skis?”
—Will Ralph, 24, worked as a ski instructor in Vail for a year
“Ever thought about doing one summer’s worth of work to pay off all your loans and debts and then spending eight months in Europe? Go fish!”
—George Overpeck, 29, got lucky while working on a fishing boat in Alaska
“I recommend traveling with a purpose. When I say purpose, what I mean is that you should find a reason to visit a country beyond just to see some place exciting. Get a job teaching English, take some classes, be an au pair, pick grapes off the vine—anything that gives you the opportunity to weave your way into the local fabric.”
—Roger Loughney, 24, taught English in China and worked as a white-water rafting guide
“Visit countries that your friends have never heard of. Everyone visits France. No one is really interested in hearing about your special experience at the Louvre or seeing your photos of the Eiffel Tower. However, if you visit Togo or Kyrgyzstan or Bhutan, you can hold your friends rapt.”
—Gideon Maltz, 25, left a consulting job to travel the world
“My friends.often wonder aloud to me why they didn’t first do some exploring before getting ‘stuck’ in the real world. My only advice is to just make it happen. The real world can wait until you get back.”
—Tim Greene, 24, worked his tail off to save for a four-month around-the-world trip
“The crew lifestyle is a great way to make the transition from college to the real world..I am in graduate school now and so happy that I took two years to do exactly what I wanted to do.”
—Kate Anderson, 26, worked on the youth staff of a cruise ship in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Northern Europe
“Not only did my Spain experience pay off professionally, but it was probably the best year of my life.”
—Roey Yohai, 27, did a photography project on bullfighting in Barcelona
“The last place I imagined myself was on a cruise ship doing Las Vegas style shows. But like I learned, you have to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, no matter how scary or crazy.”
—Gabrielle Cardillo, 26, former ballerina who took to the seven seas for a spicier Swan Lake
“All the great advances in the history of the arts were by the people who threw convention out the window.”
—Graham Norris, 22, moved to Hollywood and found himself an agent in record time |
