Hi. My name is Leah Cirillo, and I don’t know what I want to do with my life. And I’m not alone.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 69.8% of high school graduates in 2016 enrolled in college that fall. So what are the other 30% doing? Trying to figure life out like I am

Shhh. Here’s a secret. College isn’t for everyone.

Of that  69.8% that do go to college, many are undeclared or change their majors. Quizzes like this one try to help students, but let’s be honest, it’s not very scientific. What I wish is that people would stop acting like college is the only option. Because there’s multiple ways to be successful. Because not everyone fits the mold of college academics.

For guidance counselor Ms. Anna Warburton, planning for the future can be challenging if you don’t have plan in place. What does she recommend?

“Find something you are passionate about and to enroll in anything educational in that field,” she explained.

Everyone is different and somebody might be elated going to a traditional college and getting degree.  Someone else in the same situation might feel lost and trapped. So, let’s get on to some alternative ideas to get you started on finding your life path.

Starting a Business

If you are a natural born leader with drive and great ideas, you might want to consider starting a business.  This is a very ambitious and scary idea, but you never know where it could take you. Bill Gates created Microsoft one day not thinking much of it, and look at him now!  This could happen to you too, you just have to find something you’re passionate about. Once you find your passion, do some research, and get some feedback from trusted friends or colleagues.   You will have to register as a business owner and pay taxes on all those sales you’re gonna make, but that is no different to getting taxes taken out of a paycheck from a traditional job.

Finding a Trade

Do you have any skills that are more hands-on?  Maybe a trade is right for you. Trade school is not like traditional college and is more based on skills than academics.  If you go to a mechanical trade, you would learn about fixing cars and such. Some people learn better hands-on and already have a skill that they are good at.  Some examples of different trade schools that you can go to include construction management, power utility technician, and garden/landscape design. Average salaries for these specific trades range from $60,000-$90,000 according to this article from the Online School Center.

Use Your Artistic Talents Now

A lot of people are art inclined, meaning that their brains are more creative and they have an appreciation for art.  Whether it be music, painting, drawing, or anything else, you could totally make a career out of it. If art is your passion, then turn it from a hobby to a career and you will never ‘work’  a day in your life! Another option is to just get whatever job that you can and see where it takes you. You could end up in a manager position and really loving what you’re doing. You could get offers from other businesses as well.

Real Estate

Real estate is a great option if you’re somebody who loves talking to other people.  Another strong-point would be if you have a naturally convincing personality. You make your own hours which is very convenient. You have to give house tours and try and convince somebody to buy it, and if you do, you make a percentage of the sale!  So basically, your success would be based off of how much work you put into it, and you would spend a lot of time having to be friendly and talking to people. Naturally confident yet respectful people would excel.

Military

Joining the military is a really bold option that takes a lot of courage.  There are a lot of options that you have joining the military that aren’t talked about that often.  You could be a chef, a mechanic, a police officer, and so much more. See this resource for more details. 

When choosing your career, you want it to be something that your passionate about, or something that you could really see yourself doing for the next 40 or so years.  You’re never going to get that time back, so it is important to spend that time doing something you love.

If you know that college is not for you, then all you have to do is figure out what your passion is and then make your own path.  Not everyone fits into the traditional life path that includes college. And, if you’re not sure yet, that is okay too. You have more time than you think. You could start college at 30 years old.

Find your passion in life, find what makes you the happy, and find what makes a good income.

And go for it.