So What SHOULD You Do After College?

That question is something that weighs on every college student throughout their college journey. As for most, it was a very difficult decision for me. Back in high school, I had the unrealistic idea that I would immediately find success coming out of college with a marketing degree -- hoping to work for a large corporation making lots of money. Of course, this idea changed as soon as I got to college because of the actual experience that I gained in the marketing field, both in my coursework and internship experiences. I found out that I really thrived working in smaller groups, having individualized tasks, and making personal connections with clients, so working for a huge company was out of the picture for me.

In the middle of my college career, COVID-19 hit, and everything shut down over the course of a week. After universities and students gathered themselves from this massive blow, online classes started. The video chat age that we all know too well started, with technical errors happening every couple of minutes, missing out on valuable time that we could have spent learning. Online classes and virtual internships continue for many of us, but we have adapted and made the most of it. I for one have grown to love online learning and the freedom it gives you to be productive with a much more flexible schedule.

After settling into this new way of life, I began looking not at the negatives (like no face to face contact or as much hands on learning), but instead on the brighter side, that I could actually be in any location for my classes. I started experimenting with this by traveling locally at first, heading to an Airbnb lake house for a week with my girlfriend. We both seamlessly completed our coursework and kayaked on the lake or hung out by the fire pit during our free time. It went perfectly, and we began to embrace the fact that our educational commitments did not limit our love for travel. With only a couple months left until graduation, we started to plan for the future. The classic decision that I have seen so many recent graduates make comes down to…

1. Do I forget about the job search and take a year off to go travel?

Or

2. Do I focus on starting my career right out of college because I am in a career-focused mindset?

Well, given the fact that COVID-19 has resulted in countless jobs becoming a remote opportunity, and the fact that traveling is so inexpensive right now, I figured why not try and make both happen? So, my girlfriend and I started research where would be the best place to safely travel while still being able to work remotely. We decided on a dream location for both of us, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica has an incredible infrastructure, offers the opportunity for us both to work on our Spanish, executes safe COVID-19 practices, and has all of the fishing that I could ever want. Another bonus is that rent is about the same there for an entire two bedroom villa as it was for a 1/3 of an apartment where we lived now… it really was a no-brainer.

So, now begins the job search, which I am currently tackling step by step, trying to figure out the best avenue of success for myself. The best thing about searching for remote jobs is there is NO shortage of them and no limitations based on location. Of course, I look forward to being able to do in-person work in the future, but for now remote work is a great stepping stone into gaining more experience with an organization that could be located anywhere in the world.

The transition into remote work has opened up a whole new world of opportunity for us, and we are trying to make the most of it. Throughout this journey, I really have learned a lot about myself, and how hard work and outside the box thinking can truly make your dreams come true. I cannot wait to find a job that I am passionate about while simultaneously being in a location I have always wanted to explore. We could not be more excited… Pura Vida!