WOODBURY – As a new year begins, and all students move up a grade, juniors around Nonnewaug begin to think about life after high school. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, roughly 63% of high school graduates in the United States will attend college, and 16% attend trade or vocational school according to the Tulsa Welding School.

College and life after high school may be exciting for most people heading into the adult world for the first time, but a wave of nervousness and pressure can overcome students as they begin planning for life beyond 12th grade.

“I’m definitely a little nervous,” says Nonnewaug junior Maddox Poythress. “But I am definitely excited for college my parents talk about it all the time.”

 Nonnewaug Career and College Counselor Kathy Green says there is no need to be nervous about not knowing a career to choose as an upperclassman.

“You often find people who are really anxious about it, ” says Green. “And I think it’s unfortunate because at 17 or 18, I don’t think many of you actually know what you want to do for the rest of your life.”

Green claims it is common to even find adults who don’t know what to do with their lives.

“I think you encounter adults in your lives that are still like, I’m not sure that I found the perfect career and I’m still searching,” says Green. “So I think I would love to see students take that pressure off. Some students know what they want to do and that’s awesome.”

Poythress happens to be one of the students who knows what they want to do beyond June’s graduation.

“I plan to become a civil engineer,” says Poythress. “I just haven’t even begun to think about what college I’m going to go to.”

Even with the career plan, he still can find himself feeling anxious about the future. 

“I’m a planner,” says Poythress. “I like knowing what’s going to happen and when and I can feel anxious about not knowing where to go. There are so many options for college out there it can feel overwhelming at times.” 

And that is where the College and Career Resource Center, CCRC, steps in to help students get a grasp at figuring out what exactly they want to do, or where they would like to go to college. 

One of the ways the CCRC can help students is having career panels.

Advice Green gives students is “come to career panels in the CCRC over the course of the year.”

Beyond these informational sessions, it could be even easier than that according to Green. All you may have to do is ask adults in your life about what they did. 

“Engage with adults in their lives, ask them about the jobs they do, what they thought they wanted to do in high school, what they’re doing now, what they like about their job, what they don’t like,” says Green. “Go on a job shadow if they have a job that they’re interested in.”

Luckily for Nonnewaug students, colleges come to the CCRC directly and do in- person visits to advertise each of their schools. These allow all students to get ideas and exposure to see which college may fit best for them, and if college is right for them. 

“I’ll definitely be going to some of those college visits,” says Poythress. “It’s quick and easy and will help me figure out which colleges I should visit so I can decide which one to go to in the future.” 

Green says there are also many options besides colleges that could work for people and they will still end up successful.

“I absolutely think success can be found without a college degree,” says Green.

She thinks one alternative is trade school.

“Depending upon a student’s interest and desire to pursue education, I think that success can be found,” says Green. “So for some of our students, I think trade school is a terrific option right now. And some of our students even have businesses going on in high school.”

Green predicts students who create a business will be successful.

“If [student entrepreneurs] are able to continue on that path, and maybe with some community college classes, like for business, continue to grow their business, I think that’s a great path. And then the military is a really solid option for students as well,” Green added.  

Additionally, the CCRC offers personality tests to see which careers could possibly fit for you.

“We offer the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, the ASVAB, in February,” says Green, “and it’s an aptitude test, and that can give some good insight as to a career that may make sense.”

But some of the best advice Green has is to get out there and explore.

“I say all the time it’s about experiences and exposure and taking advantage of opportunities,” says Green.