Some seniors may still be on the fence about attending graduate school. If you are still making up your mind, why not take a year off? You can still use the time to your advantage by participating in activities that are both fun and resumé worthy.

INTERN

      Showing potential employers that you are capable of handling the tasks that accompany your dream job is important. One way to make sure you have this covered is by having an internship on your resumé. Your employers will be able to see that you have experience with work outside of school, and you will make contacts that might land you a job later on. This real-world practice is a great tool to give you that extra boost over other job candidates.

SERVICE

     Volunteer work is another way to spend your year off. Former Loyola student Sarah Cooper, A’11, worked with Teach For America after she graduated. “I applied to TFA before I chose to do anything else. Their values and purpose resonated with me and I knew it was the type of environment I wanted to be in,” she said. Cooper is currently teaching fifth grade science classes at KIPP Believe. Though she enjoys being a part of both TFA and KIPP, Cooper said it is the students that have made an impact on her. “They (the students) remind me that I need to bring joy into their lives as they are kids growing up in a harsh environment. My students remind me every day that I have ‘swag,’ even though I sometimes wonder what that exactly means.”

DO SOMETHING NEW

    Just because you are out of school does not mean you should not stop learning or having new experiences. If you always wanted to learn Italian, now is a great time. Take art lessons, go horseback riding, learn to surf, take up photography or learn to play an instrument. Some of these might simply be for your own enjoyment, but others could come into play when you are on the hunt for a job after grad school. You never know when a company will open up a branch in Milan.

WORK/SAVE UP

   If you want to attend grad school but are worried about the cost, one solution is simply to take a year off and get a job. If you save most of the money you earn over the year, you should have a substantial amount ready to go for your first semester as a graduate student. This will help with tuition and other costs like books, food and housing. Being practical about your finances is one of the best things you can do to stay out of debt.

TRAVEL

Taking a trip is the popular way to celebrate the end of college. Outdoor activities like backpacking through a country are common, but another way to travel can incorporate a service element: agritourism. Tourists can get involved in the daily life of a farm or ranch, often in exchange for meals and/or housing. There are a multitude of opportunities that vary from country to country. For example, the Selva Negra farm in Nicaragua (www.selvanegra.com), where guests help harvest coffee in an environmentally friendly fashion, touts its methods of sustainable, organic living. Throughout your travels, you will meet like-minded people who may become lifelong friends. But most importantly, you will expand your horizons and broaden your understanding of the world.