Confused about what to do next?

As a graduating senior, the prospects in front of me are pretty daunting. In the middle of a recession bordering on a depression, it's hard for me to ignore the fact that my English degree with a minor in film won't be landing me some scratch anytime soon. That, in addition to my mounting debt from school loans, has me looking into the prospects of furthering my education. Or, you know, working three part-time jobs for 10 years to pay off all that debt.

Having been in the position of working two part-time jobs on top of a full-time job just to make ends meet, I'm thinking of graduate school. But, I feel like in my time at ECU, I haven't really been introduced to a lot of my options following graduation. A lot of other students I've talked to feel the same way. We're all aware on a certain level that our options after college can expand anywhere from entering the workforce, military or going into postgraduate education, such as law or med school. Yet, that basic understanding leaves us at, well, the basics.

Many students feel that they've already made plans for the future by majoring in subjects such as pre-med or pre-law, under the assumption that these degrees will increase their chances of getting into law or medical school. That's not the case, according to many students already in law school.

"You learn what you need to know about law in law school. Learn something you love while you have the chance," said Chris Saunders, a UNC law student. "I'm sure they're out there, but I've never met a single pre-law or political science major in my time [at UNC]."

The same applies to pre-meds; according to Health Careers, many medical schools don't look as favorably on pre-med majors as other, more multifaceted students. Emphasizing taking the necessary classes, such as organic chemistry and physics seems to be the best advice for those with their eyes on the medical field.

Yet, even with the information available, many students still mistakenly path their careers their freshman year unaware of the advice many older, wiser students have for them. While many students know where to look and who to ask, what options are there available for everyone else?

I think it'd be great if, assuming students were on the path for postgraduate work, schools began offering a small, maybe one-hour credit class that sheds light on all the different paths for those of us who haven't had our lives planned out since we were 16.

I know I never even thought of graduate school until just recently, and I wish I'd had more opportunities to learn more in the chaotic mess that can be picking out your career path.

Many schools already offer seminars about life after your bachelor's degree, but these seminars can be incredibly specific and during time periods in which students like myself are already obligated to work. I think that if students, maybe sophomores, had the opportunity to take a class that enumerates and explores the different career and educational paths they have to choose from after receiving their diploma, we could save a lot of headache during the stressful senior year that many of us are encountering now.

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.