Finishing your Bachelor’s degree is the culmination of three years’ hard work, no matter how hard you may have partied during your studies.
For many graduates, it can even feel like college and school before it was all part of the prelude to that elusive afternoon of the cap, gown, and degree presentation. That’s a lot of pressure for anyone, so there’s also a huge relief to get it all over with.
However, we immediately encounter the big question: What next? One of the most natural, rational and rewarding ideas is to take on a postgraduate qualification, giving you an extra, extra step up in life. Still, do you really want to do that right now? Here’s why we think a break can be the best move for anyone who isn’t 100% sure they want to tackle postgraduate study quite yet.
Be sure of your next move
Let’s face it. Your journey so far hasn’t been easy. You’ve found aspects of your degree course challenging, tackled problems you’d never envisaged, found unexpected skills you never imagined you’d have, and been baffled by problems you were sure you could solve.
You’ll face all that again, but much tougher, during your postgraduate study. Unless you’re positive that you want to do all of this again, you should give yourself some more time to think over it.
Gain more with a gap year
Don’t worry, it’s not what you’re thinking. A gap year doesn’t have to live up to traditions of even more partying or one long holiday. There are so many other benefits of taking a year out, from engrossing yourself in another culture to learning invaluable life skills – which will also benefit your postgraduate study – through paid or voluntary work.
You might even find a career path you’d never previously considered, which would broaden your options even further if you do proceed further into higher education.
Spend some time at home
Admit it. You’ve missed your family, old friends and even that town where you spent so much time dreaming of what lay beyond its nostalgic boarders. In fact, there isn’t really a better place you could be to collect your thoughts and carefully plan for that important next step into postgraduate study.
You don’t need to fret about how to move all your stuff back either. With a website like Compare the Man and Van, you could obtain a cost-effective quote for a student man and van service for moving items from your halls or rented accommodation and back into your old, familiar home.
Save money for your studies
If you’ve been focused on driving straight into the next level of study, you may not have realised what you’ve just achieved. You have your degree, and this is a route into work right now.
Although you’re now eligible for the government’s postgraduate tuition loan, this won’t cover your living costs during your study. Saving for one year could give you the funds you need to take a postgraduate study on full-time without worrying about juggling too many work hours.