Moving back home after graduating college can be daunting. End your worries about being unemployed or “stuck” with 7 great things to do while you take time at home!

1. Take Community College Classes

If your school had stricter degree requirements that limited your access to classes outside your primary and general education, enrolling in a few courses that included things you’ve wanted to learn about but never got the chance to do is a fantastic use of your time. If you have always wanted to take an art class, check your local college for their class availability. Some schools even offer zero-credit courses! If you take enough courses, your student loan payments could be deferred! Coursera is a great way to receive certifications and take free online courses. They offer everything from writing and science to music theory, business, and economics. If learning was something you truly enjoyed, it doesn’t have to stop just because you've graduated.

2. Get Involved In a Sport

If you were an athlete in high school or college, it can be hard to transition out of being an athlete. While it’s crucial to discover who you are outside of the sport you played, staying active is the best habit to build while you are at home. Whether you pick up running, swimming, tennis, or basketball with a few friends or on your own, devoting a portion of your time every week to either the sport you grew up doing or something new is an excellent use of your new free time.

3. Remote Internships

If you could not fulfill an internship while at school, unpaid or not, searching for remote or local internships is a great resume builder at home. Taking an unpaid internship becomes more realistic and beneficial without worrying about living expenses like rent. Stay engaged in the career you want, even if it is a few hours a week. This will also look great when you begin applying for full-time positions.

4. Get a Job

Get a job! It can be unrelated to your major or an entry-level job for the field you hope to get into. Either way, securing a source of income while living at home, whether part-time or full-time, is so important. If you plan to move to a new city, creating a savings account and devoting a portion of your paycheck to that account is excellent for preparing you for a big move!

5. Set a Goal For Yourself

Getting out of the schooling mindset is a tough one. Life can start to feel like there’s no order, but a great way to maintain familiarity is to work towards something. Whether that goal is running a marathon, losing or gaining weight, writing a book, saving a specific amount of money, going on dates, going on a trip, whatever it may be, if it’s something you want, create time into your schedule to work towards your goal. 

6. Get a Hobby Outside of Media Consumption

College can be so hectic and time-consuming that we don’t have time for hobbies. As we enter adulthood, having interests outside work and home is very important. Binge-ing your favorite show isn’t a hobby! Trying out new things like art (drawing, painting, sculpting, photography), reading, writing, learning an instrument, and getting into a sport are all great ways to engage your mind outside the classroom and out of bed.

7. Keep In Touch!

Graduating college has its highs, but a significant low can be leaving the friends you made. Depending on where you went to school and the major you and your friends are in, you might still have a community after graduation, but people are always bound to move out and move on. Keeping in touch with those friends can become problematic as time goes on, so make time for those people who are important to you. Friends are a key factor in happiness. They should be a priority as an adult.

Good luck out there, grads! We're rooting for you!