This is the time of year when seniors completely freak out. Ominous questions loom over the soon-to-be graduates’ heads: “What am I doing with my life?” “Is it time to start my career?” “Am I supposed to be applying to grad school?” Panic starts to set in. But it doesn’t have to.

What some students may not consider – or may not fully realize – is that no, you don’t have to jump into grad school or a career if you don’t want to – or, more importantly, if you aren’t ready to.

All too often a graduating senior is pushed into the next level of academia because the idea has been drilled in his head that that’s what he’s “supposed” to do – regardless of whether it’s what he really wants. After he’s made his way through the usual post-grad institution, he isn’t able to retrieve the time he’s invested if it didn’t suit his personal goals after all. That’s not to say that higher education isn’t a perfectly acceptable option after graduation – it’s just not for everyone.

This is the time for seniors to claim their independence and embark on their own path. And that may not mean immediately diving into another ambitious academic endeavor with the intention of starting a career.

Life is meant to be lived, and we are a generation that can, and does, take that philosophy seriously. It would be a mistake to assume that implies being an idle member of society and making the couch your new office. But it also means we have the ability to pursue alternative and enriching post-grad plans, ranging from entering into the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps to starting a band or delving deeper into a hobby, like painting or cooking. This could also mean the opportunity to benefit the local community. In New Orleans, this could mean participating in the struggling public school system or joining the New Orleans branch of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). The options are endless.

Release yourself from what certain facets of society ask of you and even what your parents may ask of you. This liberation will help you to better understand what you are meant for and could be the catalyst for a personal revolution or life-changing epiphany. Allow yourself to surprise and be surprised, to knock down others’ expectations and your own.

One advantage we as college students have on our side is time: we’re young and impressionable. Milk this privilege for all it’s worth before it has any significant consequences.

So the next time someone asks you what you plan to do with yourself after graduation (which will be happening a lot in the next few weeks), give the response “whatever I want” with conviction.