There’s a question that lingers in the mind of every new university graduate: “So…what's next?” After leaving the structure of university and entering the uncertainty of the real world, you’ve come at a crossroads. Do you stay in town or move back home to your family? Do you pursue your dream career or travel the world for a year or two?
For those who received a general Arts degree, finding work in a related field can be difficult. As a result, many graduates elect to move back in with their parents, avoiding a hard life of complete self-reliance. Thankfully, Montreal is a city with an abundance of affordable housing options. This makes living in the city a realistic path, rather than an unattainable goal.
The future of an Arts Major does not have to solely be washing dishes. Here are 4 tips on how to make the most of living self-sufficiently after school in Montreal.
Get a Job
This is a time when doing a simple job and making money can be really good for you. In popular culture, we’re taught that after we graduate, we must move on to our careers and settle into a 9 to 5. In reality, this is far from the case. Others with more impressive resumes are capturing all the flashy jobs available. This is your time to take a break. Having a simple job like bussing, dishwashing or retail lets your mind relax after 4 years of intense studying and gives you a little extra spending money in the process.
Follow your Interests
This is the stage in your life when you can read, watch, and practice what you’ve wanted to for years but haven’t had the time. If you have a particular passion or curiosity in something, follow-up on it. Post-graduates don’t need to think that the world is over because they haven’t found their dream job. Most people at this stage don’t know what their dream job is anyway, so find what you like and pursue it. If you don’t have anything in mind and just want to chill that’s fine, too. You do you.
Keep Learning
Just because you’re out of school it doesn’t mean that all the knowledge you’ve gained is lost. If there are particular topics that fascinated you, continue to read about them. Keep in contact with professors as well. They were once young graduates, too. They can provide helpful advice and interesting material.
Volunteer, Intern and Gain Some Useful Experience
I’m not saying that you need to have a career in mind, but gaining some useful experience in any field and making professional contacts is always beneficial.Even if you move on to something completely different from what you studied, connections help. This experience also prepares you for life in the professional world, gaining exposure that may not seem valuable at the time but will come in handy later.
