Spring semester has sprung, which means fourth-year students have about 15 weeks left to turn a B.A. or B.S. into a J-O-B before waving goodbye to the University. While some students are interviewing for corporate positions or facing uncertainty about their futures, for others graduation presents an opportunity to travel abroad, whether for recreational, teaching or volunteering purposes.
Statistically speaking, the exact number of unemployed University graduates -- whether caught in limbo somewhere between the college experience and the "real world" or between jobs -- is difficult to determine. Ladd Flock, director of Arts & Sciences Career Services, said the rate of unemployment following graduation is unknown because those without jobs are unlikely to respond to the Career Service survey, "Final Destination of Recently Graduated Students," which begins circulating at the conclusion of the academic year.
"Students tend to respond once they land a job," Flock said. "We see our highest response rate in July because many employers don't make their hiring decisions until they have actual positions to fill."
Some students' paths don't fit neatly into the survey's fixed categories. Some call taking time off to travel adventurous, others impulsive. Whatever the connotation, exploring distant areas and unfamiliar cultures increasingly has become a panacea for the "quarter-life" crisis, a concept that captures the feeling of recent college graduates lacking a firm grasp of who they are or what they want to do.
For 2001 College graduate Catterson Oh and his wife, 2003 College graduate Megan Lantz, traveling initially took a backseat to entering the professional world, mainly for monetary reasons.
"We never considered travel immediately post-grad," Lantz said. "It was simply too expensive, and the idea of 'entering the real world' a year or two later than my peers in debt and with no job experience seemed too daunting."
Despite their initial hesitations, Oh and Lantz developed their impetus for traveling on the heels of a quarter-life crisis, which prompted their desire to see the world while still in their youth and to have an experience together that would teach them about themselves and perhaps inspire friends at home.
Six months and nine countries later, Oh and Lantz find recent college graduates increasingly attracted to -- but apprehensive of -- making a similar decision to theirs.
"It seems like this is something so many people in our peer group and demographic want to do, but for some reason, they justify their way out of it," Oh said.
Part of that justification, Oh said, is fueled by fear in its most general sense. Lantz also cited the pressure college graduates feel "to keep up with their peer group in terms of salary, purchasing a condo, getting married and going to grad school."
If graduates-turned-travelers overcome their hesitations, they have a wide array of potential experiences awaiting them. According to Lantz, the traveling-abroad clichés that often serve as dinner party fodder are true: Traveling seems to be an eye-opening time of reflection, during which those who take the plunge really do learn about themselves and others while fine-tuning their individual definitions of happiness and rewarding experiences.
"Money is certainly not corollary with happiness," Lantz said. "When we traveled through Laos, one of the least-developed and poor countries in Southeast Asia, we were constantly met with warmth and friendliness, and the strength in community relationships there -- despite the poverty -- was palpable."
Beyond emotional discovery, travel also can test the bounds of physical strength, revealing what it actually takes to survive. Lantz said her own reliance on material comfort and possessions has been significantly diminished through travel.
"Because we carry everything on our backs, being a minimalist is essential," she said.
Through their travels and encounters with others, Oh and Lantz also have dealt with unfavorable perceptions of Americans. Lantz said she sees contact with people of different nationalities and backgrounds as a possible solution for revising negative images of America.
"You have to have tough skin and realize that unfortunately that is the perception, and only by getting out there and traveling can you change it," Lantz said.
At present, Oh and Lantz's journey has brought them to New Zealand, where they are currently working on a kiwifruit farm to finance their next move to South Island. They said their exposure to citizens from countries far and wide has emphasized the common humanity of all people.
"The open-heartedness that people seem to have while traveling is amazing," Lantz said. "It is a reminder of how closed you are whilst in the safety and familiarity of your own community."
Gigi Davis-White, director of Education School Career Services, reflected this same sentiment in describing another alternative post-graduation option open to college graduates regardless of their schools or majors: teaching abroad.
"A big motivator for students is to experience a global culture and a multicultural society," Davis-White said. "Of course, we have multiculturalism here in the United States, but it is a very different experience to be one of few, rather than one of many."
While Oh and Lantz said they encourage students thinking about experiencing life abroad to take the plunge, they also advise students to use their time to acquire new skills and make connections.
"I'm not saying you should be reckless with your money or career, but taking a calculated risk to travel for a year almost always pays off," Lantz said. "Travel will inevitably open up new ideas and help expand your international professional network."
Flock also noted the importance of keeping track of what is transpiring at home while country-hopping.
"If you take an alternative career path, like traveling and volunteering or social work and overseas education, just continue to build new skills," Flock said. "While taking time off, it is important to pay attention and stay connected."
When asked what advice she would give to students on the verge of graduation, Lantz offered these comments.
"Don't feel like you have to rush into any particular graduate program or career path, and don't feel like all is lost if you don't know what you want to do with your life as soon as you finish walking the Lawn." Lantz said. "The quarter-life crisis is a phenomenon that seems to hit everyone these days, and you will probably feel that pressure at some point, post-grad."
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