If you were a college senior again, what would you do with anywhere between 1-6 months after college graduation yet before full-

I'm a college senior who will receive my bachelor's degree in May 2013, and have a flexible schedule before commencing with full-time work. I'm met with a rather difficult question: how long to take off and what will I do with this time?

Here is what I do have: intention to spend some time with family, an interest in travel (though no idea where), inklings of entrepreneurial ideas (but wary of its risks), a goal to ultimately do good with my life. I have saved diligently, and have the financial means to travel, invest - to entertain a number of activities.

Concrete answers encouraged, preferably for those who are able to look back 10+ years and say, "I wish I did that back then."

Potentials: start an idea (worried about time constraint), roadtrip/backpacking (location recommendations welcome!), learning Chinese through-and-through...

7 Comments
 
Ron PaulI'd chug mayonnaise, get AIDS, chop my dong off, do a search for the 597 old threads on this topic, skydive

If you did it in that order, I'm pretty sure you'd jump without a parachute.

in it 2 win it
 

-Travel somewhere that's emerging right now (i.e. India or Brazil preferably) -Do something absolutely stupid that you can't do ever again. (For me this meant skydiving and lots of drugs) -Bang a teacher you used to have (Hopefully not the one who's 60) -Get your CCW permit (If you're not, you know, against that sort of thing) -Get a head start on making some walkin' around money (I spent a lot of time investing for people in my time off)

 
Best Response

Consequatur excepturi voluptas unde praesentium voluptatem et. Qui officiis minima ipsum nulla voluptatibus. Cum molestias aut qui est ab molestiae repellat.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”