05 Feb 2020

When you finish school, it’s hard to know what to do next. In fact, us Year13ers think it’s kinda ridiculous that you’re expected to have your whole life figured out by the time you finish Year 12.

Fortunately, despite what your school/teachers/parents/relatives/older sister’s best friend’s mum/principal/footy coach/mates may have led you to believe, there is absolutely no pressure at all to know what you want to do straight out of school.

You can do whatever you want after school. Seriously. You could go to uni. You could get a crappy job. You could do a trade. You could take a gap year. You could do nothing at all.

Some people know that they wanna study, but they’re not too sure what exactly it is they’re passionate about. If you’re one of these types, then one of the best things you could do is a short course. Find something that interests you, then get a taste for it without committing the time and money required for a full degree. Or, maybe you do know what you’re passionate about – just not to keen on the typical study options and want something different.

There are some really cool study experiences out there that can help set ya up for future study, or even work. Some of our faves are:

1. The School Of The New York Times

If you’re torn between a gap year or study, then studying overseas could be the perfect solution.

The School of The New York Times has programs available for anyone between 15 and 21, where you can spend up to eight weeks studying in New York or Washington DC.

Whether you’re an intellectually curious high school graduate, or still in school and looking to get a taste of higher education before you fill out your uni preferences, there’s bound to be a short course here which will help you discover or pursue your passions.

It’s not all work and study though. You get to experience what it’s like to travel to and live in New York (or Washington DC), live on campus in some of the United States’ best universities and spend your time off sightseeing and immersing yourself in the amazing culture of the USA. Keen? You can check more out here. 

2. Sotheby’s Institute Of Art

If you’re the creative type, but you can’t decide whether to study or take a gap year, then you should definitely check out Sotheby’s Institute of Art. They offer an amazing blend of study and travel, with campuses in London, New York, or online (meaning that really, you could travel anywhere while you study).

Sotheby’s Institute courses offer you an incredible understanding of today’s world of art, whether you’re sticking around for the full semester, or doing one of their two-week courses. You can choose from intensive courses in areas such as art business, art history, art finance, contemporary art and way more. To suss more head here. 

3. InsideSherpa

While it’s not exactly ‘study, the virtual experiences and virtual internships at InsideSherpa can definitely help you figure out what to do next.

Completely free for students and completely online, these virtual internships simulate the stuff that real people have to do in the workplace and let you get a taste of what it’s really like. This is epic because it gives you an insight into what types of careers ya might/might not like to do before committing to spending years of your life completing a degree! On top of all that, you can use it on your resume – win, win.

 

So, if you aren’t sure what you’re gonna do once school is in the rear-view mirror, don’t stress. There are heaps of different options out there for ya, and plenty of unique courses which will help you pursue your passions or figure out where they lie.