If you’re approaching high school graduation, chances are you’ve got a lot of pressure on your shoulders. What do you want to do for a living? Where do you want to live? Which colleges are you applying to? How did you do on your SAT’s? What extracurricular activities were you involved in? Why haven’t you gotten a part-time job yet? Granted, the people asking you these questions are generally concerned about you. They want you to do well in life. However, don’t bow to that pressure if you’re not ready. There are more and more college graduates entering the job market every year and many of them can’t find work. Even more aren’t using their degrees. Philosophy graduates are running restaurants. Actresses are working for insurance companies. Does their college degree earn them a few more dollars at the end of the week? Maybe. However, if you don’t want the traditional four-year experience, don’t sweat it. Don’t let someone force you into an experience you don’t want.
Understand that if you choose not to go to college straight out of high school, it is harder to go back later in life. You will definitely get more comfortable wherever you end up and it will be hard to change up that lifestyle and go back to school. However, you need to find what will make you happy and only you. There are plenty of fantastic careers in the world that do not require four-year degrees. The same applies to master’s degrees. Don’t get your master’s degree just because everyone is pressuring you to or because you don’t know what else to do with your life. College debt piles up quickly. You’ll find your own way.