This article is written by a student writer from UCLA's Her Campus chapter.
The summer after graduating from college is literally the last real summer vacation many of us will have for the rest of our lives. With this, there is a certain bittersweet feeling of changing stages of life; we enter our adult lives gaining independence in many ways, but also losing it in the sense that we engage in careers with schedules that are far less flexible or forgiving than those offered by school. That said, I absolutely believe that, if you have the opportunity, you should spend your last summer doing something that You you want to do, regardless of the impact it might have on your career. We have our whole lives ahead of us to build our careers, but we don't have endless youthful summers. So if you want to travel, then travel. If you want to write a book, write a book. If you want to enjoy your hometown free from the constraints of college life, do it. Basically, just enjoy your free time.
I know it's hard not to rush through your career. Things are difficult at the moment for young graduates, with job cuts and hiring freezes affecting countless sectors. It’s tempting to seize any potential opportunity that presents itself. But the truth is that there will always be more career opportunities. However, if you miss the opportunity to travel the world with your best friends or partner, ration your money, explore and meet new people while you are young, you might definitely regret it. And it’s not an experience you can just make up for in the future. Not to mention you get insane travel perks while you're young and a student, and these benefits simply won't exist forever.
Personally, as a graduating senior looking to work in digital marketing, particularly in the entertainment industry, I'm nervous about not jumping straight into my job search. But I am committed to traveling to Europe for a month after graduation. It is an opportunity for me to feel completely liberated, to experience life as an independent young woman before committing to a corporate job or returning to the rigor of the academic world during graduate studies. . I can't wait to hop from place to place, stay in unique hostels and Airbnbs, casually take the train from London to Edinburgh, visit museums and historical monuments and sample a huge range of sweet treats, from croissants to chimney cakes. Not to mention, as a student (or recent graduate), it's not difficult to do these things on a budget.
With special hostels for students and young travelers, as well as extremely affordable Airbnbs (especially if you're traveling with a larger group or more than one person), finding decent accommodation isn't as difficult as you might think . I was shocked by the affordable price of Airbnb in Paris, many of them even cheaper for a week than hostels due to extended stay options or the ability to split costs among multiple travelers. Sites like Kayak And Skyscanner are also extremely useful for locating affordable round-trip flights; you can find a non-stop round trip flights under $500.
Student discounts are also extremely popular and easy to obtain, which can help reduce costs for flights, hotels, rental cars and even sightseeing tours and excursions. UNiDAYS, Expedia And Student universe are just a few of the countless sites you can use to find student travel discounts. By obtaining the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) online or on campus, you can also access incredible discounts and opportunitiesfrom free entry to the British Museum to discounts on public transport to cashback on Booking.com for hotels.
As recent college graduates (or soon-to-be college graduates), now is the perfect time to explore life beyond our careers or academia. With the opportunity to explore foreign countries and meet new people, plus the incredible discounts and resources available to young travelers and students, traveling is the perfect way to spend the summer after our final year of college. Even if you don't feel like traveling after graduation, take this opportunity to embrace your liberation and enjoy your youth for a summer before rushing to work. In the future, you will be grateful.
