UNEMPLOYED MESS Forum

[cantwaittoberich]

Hi all,

Just graduated (a semester early & with a 3.9, have that going for me) from an underwhelming state school (t-150!!). Was planning on going straight through but burned out trying to cram the LSAT and am now back at home living at my parent's house lol. I've been pretty depressed and feeling like a loser because I am JOBLESS!! Was just wondering if anyone has any advice/ideas for securing full time work experience during gap years, particularly for a fresh graduate from a non elite institution? Open to anything, anywhere in the world.

[HopefulSplitter0000]

Hi all,

Just graduated (a semester early & with a 3.9, have that going for me) from an underwhelming state school (t-150!!). Was planning on going straight through but burned out trying to cram the LSAT and am now back at home living at my parent's house lol. I've been pretty depressed and feeling like a loser because I am JOBLESS!! Was just wondering if anyone has any advice/ideas for securing full time work experience during gap years, particularly for a fresh graduate from a non elite institution? Open to anything, anywhere in the world.

Teach English abroad. English language training centers pay okay, and you'll gain practical teaching experience. There is one issue with this: most training centers are in China, which is currently facing an outbreak of coronavirus. However, there are schools in Korea, Japan, and other countries in both Asia and Europe.

PM me if you want more info. This is just one possible suggestion.

[acr]

Dude there are so many exciting opportunities for people in your situation.

As the poster above mentioned, teaching abroad is a great option. Hell, you don't even have to teach. Since you just finished school, you can go on a working holiday in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, etc and work any job.

You could do something outdoors, like work at a ski resort in Colorado or Utah, or go work for a national park or museum.

Or you could simply find something that you're interested in that might equip you with valuable life skills going forward. One of my friends worked at a bakery for a year and still claims that it was the best work experience of his life. He is awesome at making bread now.

You could even just get an office job with your college degree and save up money.

Whatever you do, just try to enjoy life.

[NibsNibbler]

If you are open and adventurous you can travel relatively cheaply and volunteer. I saved up a very small amount and used https://www.workaway.info/ to find hosts that house you, pay for your food, and sometimes even give you a small stipend in exchange for 20 hours of work a week. Everything from farming to working in bookstores to volunteering at Buddhist meditation centers. I even found temporary full time work through it.

I traveled for a couple years before going to Law School doing this about half the time. I spent money mostly only on flights, but traveled through Europe and Central America and met awesome people through this. Adventure of a life time. And I even have it on my Resume (international volunteer work). Legal employers always ask, and it goes really well. Anyway, just a plug for doing something a little less conventional.

[LSATWiz.com]

Get into great shape. Part of why you may be feeling down about yourself is that when you don't leave the house or move much during the day, your brain stops producing some of the neurotransmitters you need to function normally. Exercising will help you function better and will help you perform well on the LSAT. It is also easiest to get into shape when you have a lot of free time, and it's best to get a routine down before your life gets hectic.

People base too much of their self concept on post-college jobs but the reality is that it doesn't matter where you are now, only where you are in 10-years. If you're sure you want to be a lawyer, what you get on the LSAT is much more important than what you do this year. Don't be concerned with what people think of you when you're 22. It doesn't matter.