Be Different Tomorrow, Stand Out For Life

Welcome to the only career book that will advise you to herd sheep in New Zealand, teach English in Greece, and bike through the Rockies—all in the same year! Delaying the Real World will inspire you to follow your passions and indulge your youth in hundreds of different ways, and give you all of the practical tips and information you need to make it happen.

When I was a junior in college, I went on a blind date with a senior. One of the first get-to-know-you questions I asked my date was what he was planning on doing after graduation. Expecting him to say that he was working at Corporation-X or applying to graduate school, I was surprised to hear him declare with a huge grin, "I'm going to be a ski bum."

As Will ran off to teach skiers on the slopes of Vail (one of whom was Britney Spears), I started working on a guide to unconventional post-college adventures. As I came closer to graduation myself, I heard classmates talk about all of the expected first-jobs, but I was amazed to discover how many of my peers were actually taking non-traditional routes. And I'm not talking about a handful of Peace Corps volunteers. Nowadays, when young people take the anti-cubicle approach, they get creative. And equipped with this cool little book, you can, too.

While doing a yearlong public service fellowship in Cuba, I began tracking down adventurers in all corners of the world and all job sectors. The colorful cast of Delaying the Real World includes forest fighters in Utah, journalists in Cambodia, Alaska fisherman, cruise ship dancers, cross-country bikers, charter school pioneers, Hollywood novices, white-water rafting guides, photographers in China, road trip experts, English tutors in Prague, stand-up comedians, chronic globe trotters, and volunteers in rural India. These contributors make Delaying the Real World a fascinating read, offering their wild tales, practical financial advice, and assurance that the road less traveled leads to wonderful places (and more exciting jobs, later on!).

So if you're not ready to join the entry-level rat race just yet, or you're just plain sick of it, pick up this handy guidebook and read about how exhilarating and fulfilling the twenties can be. And take it from me, "the real world" can wait. Now back from my year in Cuba, I'm so grateful I took time to see a rare corner of the world, do fulfilling work, and think about what I want to do with my life. Not long after returning from Cuba, I got a job working on a political campaign in Florida, organizing the Cuban American community of Little Havana. Now writing a book about Cuba, my career path has been hugely marked by my post-college adventures in the Caribbean.

While dreaming up your next adventure, poke around this website and get to know some of the gutsy young adventurers that inspired Delaying the Real World. Still not sure you're ready to run off to Santa Fe or Timbuktu? Post questions on our message boards and we'll all do our best to talk you into your harebrained scheme. Hearing about your whereabouts and pipe dreams is my favorite new way to delay the real world!

Carpe Diem!

—Colleen Kinder

Essays and articles by Colleen Kinder: ◊ One Man’s Prison @ Salon ◊ “What Will YOU Do After Graduation?” ◊ Original essay written exclusively for Powells.com