As a recent High School graduate I asked myself this question a lot. Should I go to college for a degree? Should I pick up a job and work my way up the ladder? Travel or maybe take on my own projects.

In High Schools all around the United States students are pushed into going to college right after High School. However, college is not for everyone. College should only be pursued if you know exactly what degree you are going for that will guarantee high paying job openings. This is because of the significant investments of time and money required to pursue a college degree.

Not ready for college?

College is not the right move for everyone. This was very true in my case. I had no interest in sitting in a classroom and stressing out over homework assignments that had no real value.

I decided to put myself to work. I worked as a local handyman and groundskeeper for about two years building a list of references. I used that list to get my first job working at JCPenny.

My first piece of advice. Find a job or source of income for yourself.

I used my time off out of the classroom to start working on projects I wanted to do. I started up my own YouTube/Twitch Channel and am now making a small income from my Twitch streams. I began working on my own website and blog where I record my thoughts and advice for my readers. I even started raising chickens again for eggs that I would either sell or cook up for different dishes.

Words of wisdom number two. Do your own projects to learn and show off new skills.

The summer right after I finished High School I had the most extended trip of my life. I got to explore parts of Spain, Portugal, and England for a whole month. I made friends with people from all over. Most of them run their own small businesses. One man I met runs a greenhouse that supplies most of Spain, and he showed me how to grow stronger plants using pumpkin roots. Being someone who rarely got to go outside of my home state this was an eye-opening trip for me.

Travel and see the world for yourself.

College is not the only option out there for you to gain new skills and experiences. Travel and take your time. Work on projects you want to work on and most importantly get yourself a job. The job does not have to be something you are married to forever just something to get you started.