What do I do with my life post-grad?
Hello,
I am a senior graduating with my bachelor's in environmental and soil science in December, and I am freaking out about what to do with the rest of my life. The next steps I take feel like they will make or break the rest of my life, and I am putting a lot of pressure on myself to make the right choice. I always thought that I would go to graduate school immediately upon obtaining my bachelor's, but I am now wondering if I want to get more work experience to figure out what I am passionate about researching in graduate school. I have research and professional experience in my field, but it has all been through an agricultural lens. After my most recent summer internship with an agricultural company, I realized I don't want to work in agriculture; however, I am now worried about the best move to make because all of my experience on my resume revolves around agriculture, hence why I don't know if I should jump straight into graduate school yet. Additionally, since I graduate in December, most grad programs don't start until the fall, so what do I do with that gap?
I am interested in conservation, fire ecology, and microbiology; the list could go on. But do people typically branch out of their expertise during graduate school? And if I decide to go the job route, where do I even begin to apply? I would love to work in national parks and travel, but that seems like a childish fantasy. Overall, I am just a big overthinker, and the idea of applying to both jobs and graduate school, all while dealing with the coursework for my final semester and work to make money, sounds so overwhelming.