A lot of people dream about getting a stable 9–5 job after college.
- Graduate.
- Find a career.
- Settle down.
- Take a couple of vacations a year.
For many people, that life works perfectly.
But during my senior year of college, I realized something:
That life wasn’t for me.
And realizing that changed the entire direction of my life.
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The Career Path I Thought I Wanted
I was a Psychology major and had always planned to become a child psychologist.
That was the path I had imagined for years — long before I ever thought about traveling the world.
During my senior year, I started shadowing a psychologist as part of my degree requirements. It was supposed to confirm that I had chosen the right career.
Instead, it made me realize something important.
While sitting in that office observing therapy sessions, two thoughts kept running through my head:
1. I don’t think my mental health could handle this job long-term.
2. I could not imagine sitting in an office for the rest of my life.
The idea of spending decades inside the same room, doing the same thing every day, made me feel restless.
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I Realized I Don’t Fit the Traditional 9–5 Lifestyle
Here’s something I’ve learned about myself.
After about four months of doing the same thing, I start feeling the urge to move on.
- I need a new place.
- I need a new experience.
- I need a new environment.
Is that a red flag? Maybe.
But it’s also just who I am.
I don’t enjoy sitting still for too long. I like change. I like exploring new places and learning new things.
The traditional lifestyle never really appealed to me.
- Work a 9–5
- Buy a house
- Take two weeks of vacation a year
- Stay in the same city for decades
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that lifestyle.
It just wasn’t the lifestyle I wanted.
So I asked myself a serious question:
Why would I continue down a path I already knew wouldn’t make me happy?
You only live once, right?
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Graduating College Without a Clear Plan
Even after realizing all of this, I still finished my degree.
I graduated with a Psychology degree… even though I already knew I wasn’t going to pursue that career.
And honestly?
I had no idea what I was going to do next.
But shortly after graduating, something unexpected popped up in my Facebook feed.
An ad for a website called CoolWorks.
That one ad ended up changing my entire life.
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Discovering Seasonal Jobs That Let You Travel
CoolWorks is a platform that connects people with seasonal jobs across the United States (this sounds like an ad, but I promise it’s not. I just really like this website, and it’s genuinely changed my life).
Many of these jobs are located in incredible places like:
• National parks
• Mountain towns
• Ski resorts
• Tourist destinations
Most seasonal jobs also provide employee housing and free/discounted meals, which makes living there very affordable.
Contracts usually last 3–6 months, which is perfect if you like change and new experiences.
I applied to a few jobs that caught my interest.
One stood out immediately.
A job in Yellowstone National Park.
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My First Seasonal Job in Yellowstone
I landed the job and moved to Yellowstone for six months.
My first job was working as a cashier. Nothing fancy.
But the experience completely changed how I saw work and life.
I spent half a year living inside one of the most beautiful national parks in the world.
After work, I could:
• Go hiking
• Explore the park
• Watch wildlife
It felt like living inside a postcard.
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How Much Money You Can Make in Seasonal Jobs
One thing people often ask is:
“Can you actually make money doing seasonal work?”
The answer is yes.
During my first season, I made about $15,000 in six months.
Because employee housing and meals were heavily subsidized, my expenses were extremely low.
My rent was around $250 per month.
That meant most of my paycheck went directly into savings.
But some seasonal workers earn much more than that.
Servers and bartenders in busy tourist areas can make serious money.
I knew servers in Yellowstone who were consistently making $500 a night.
Many seasonal workers rotate between high-paying tipped jobs year-round and can make $80,000–$100,000 annually while keeping their living expenses low.
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Realizing I Could Travel and Work at the Same Time
That first seasonal job made something click for me.
I realized something most people never think about:
You can travel and work at the same time.
Instead of:
• Waiting all year for a vacation
• Sitting in the same office every day
• Counting down to the weekend
You can:
• Live in new places every few months
• Work jobs in beautiful destinations
• Meet people from all over the world
• Save money while traveling
For someone like me who loves change and exploration, this lifestyle made perfect sense.
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Why I Chose a Travel Lifestyle Instead of a 9–5
This lifestyle gives me something a traditional job never did:
Freedom.
Freedom to move.
Freedom to explore.
Freedom to try new things.
Instead of vacationing a couple weeks out of the year, I get to experience new places all the time.
And once I realized this kind of lifestyle was possible, it was hard to imagine going back to a normal 9–5 job.
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If You Don’t Want a 9–5 Either
If you’ve ever felt like the traditional career path doesn’t fit you, you’re not alone.
There are so many ways to design a life that includes travel, flexibility, and adventure.
Seasonal work is one of the easiest ways to travel and work at the same time. I explain more in How I Started Traveling.
Websites like:
• Workaway
Can help you find opportunities around the world.
You might discover a completely different way of living.
Just like I did.
Travel Has Completely Changed My Life
If you’re someone who feels stuck in the traditional path, travel might open your world the same way it did for me.
Over time I realized something else too:
The right travel gear can make traveling way easier and less stressful.
That’s one of the reasons I created Nomad Sidekick — a collection of travel products designed to make life on the road simpler and more organized.
If you’re curious, you can explore them here.