Rachel Brougham: Contemplating your post-high school plans? Here’s the best advice I can give
It’s the time of year when the trees are budding, tulips and daffodils start to pop and kids are kicking up their feet on spring break.
But that’s not the only thing that happens in spring. It’s the time of year when many high school seniors announce their plans for when they graduate. Whether they’ll choose to move across the country to attend college, stick close to home to take classes locally, join the military or enter the workforce, I never knew how much I’d enjoy watching the kids of people I know announce their post-high school plans.
“The twins are both going to school in Madison!” “Our neighbor is going to take some trade courses to work toward being an electrician.” “So-and-so’s daughter is going to play soccer at Western!” “That’s smart to get her basic requirements out of the way at community college.” It seems like just about every day lately I’m telling my husband about someone I know and what their child has planned for after graduation.
Yet I know these decisions don’t come lightly. There are many factors to consider — cost of tuition, room and board and debating on whether or not to take out student loans. Will they need a car on campus? How will they get home for holidays? Where will they live and who will be their roommates? Are they really ready to be out on their own?
My son Thom is now 15 and is a high school freshman. We are currently in the process of planning a summer trip to California to start looking at schools. In the next few months we’ll visit Cal Tech and Stanford just so he can get an idea of what’s out there. At some point we will likely visit the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, MIT, and wherever else he wants to look. He’s currently interested in exploring careers in astrophysics and engineering and while looking at colleges and post-high school life is daunting for me and him, it’s also an exciting time. Although if I can be honest, we got to this point awfully quickly. I mean, it seems like just yesterday I was writing about him going through potty training in this very column.
I think about the advice I’d give my son and other high school students out there who are contemplating their next steps into adulthood. I think about my college experience and all the things that I learned about myself during those four years, but also all the things I’d do differently if I had to do it all over again.
And here’s the best advice I can give.
If you’re going to college, choose a school that speaks to you. Don’t just choose it for the sports team or because it’s far enough away from home but not too far.
Take classes that aren’t part of your major just to test the waters.
If you can, live on campus for at least the first year to get the true experience. My freshman year of college is still one of the best years of my life.
Try an on-campus job. I worked in a computer lab inside my university’s student union and not only did I earn some spending money, I learned a ton of skills to beef up my resume.
It’s true what people say when deciding on a career: Do something that doesn’t always feel like work. Making money is important, but it’s not the only thing.
And finally, be open to change — even when it’s scary. You’ll likely discover you’re capable of more than you ever knew and that’s one of the best lessons you’ll ever learn.
— Rachel Brougham is the former assistant editor of the Petoskey News-Review. You can email her at racheldbrougham@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Rachel Brougham: Contemplating your post-high school plans?
