Finishing college, confused about future

LegacyUser

Hi all,

Not sure where to start, I guess I'm just looking for people to hear my thoughts. My story is, in two weeks time ill be finished my final year in college, I should be happy but I suddenly had the realisation that in two weeks, for the first time in my life I'll have absolutely nothing to do, no job lined up, no college in the autumn, nothing. I've been thinking a lot about what to do with my life, as I see it I have two options:

1)Remain in Ireland and get a job here or
2)Go for a career Im interested in, but requires me to emigrate

If i go with option two, ill be in an industry im very interested in with better prospects than at home which I am excited about but at the same time it terrifies me. Ive always been very quiet and slow to make new friends, part of me fears that while emigrating may be great for my professional life it may be incredibly lonely in my personal life. On top of that the industry I wish to enter is non existent in Ireland so it may be quite difficult to find employment if I decide to return down the line.



If i go with option one ill be close to friends and family and most likely find a good job with good prospects (im lucky enough to be in a college course which still has very high employment rates) but doing so makes me feel like im wussing out and letting my fears control me.

Im not sure what kind of replies i am expecting from this, I guess I just wanted to say it out loud, so to speak, somewhere...

baby and crumble

if you think you can get a job here, that's not 'wussing out'. It used to be that if you didn't go travelling for a year to'find yourself' in Goa or whatever it was then people thought you were a stick in the mud, and now it's if you actually stay home and get a job instead of emigrating there's this idea that you're being boring or not taking up the opportunities you have... Which I reckon is crap.

If you want to stay, stay. Some people just don't like travelling or whatever. I don't, particularly. You're not weird.

Ps best of luck in your exams!

LegacyUser

I’m sorry but I totally disagree with the above poster about sticking it out at home. I myself when finishing college had the opportunity to go abroad and it terrified me completely because I thought I was going to find it difficult making friends as I ‘am a very shy person. But I went ahead with it and it was nerve-racking but I enjoyed it and made some friends for life, I also learnt what it was like to live in a different country with a different culture and way of life it was great it gave me a new understanding of the world and other people.
Travelling in my opinion is one of the greatest experiences and you should not waste these opportunities while you still have them. Later on in life it can become more difficult to travel when you have family, bills to pay, a house and permanent job.

I’d say just go and do it take a leap of faith.

baby and crumble

That's fair enough, I agree, I think for many people travelling can open their eyes to the real world. I actually read the OP wrong, I thought if he stayed he could get a good job here in his chosen field. I contrasted this with him wanting to emigrate, almost for the 'sake' of it.

I fear of the unknown is the only thing holding you back, OP I'd go for it. You owe it to yourself and your training thus far to give it a bash.