I’ve been thinking about what to do next with my life, and I’m torn. I graduated college in May 2024 with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, but due to several factors, I decided to take a gap year. I'm working as a barista and saving money, but I’m going stir-crazy staying at home, and I feel like I’m wasting time.
I recently visited Japan and loved my time there. I loved the culture, the convenience, the food, the safety—just everything about it. My favorite place was Kyoto, and I felt so at peace there. That’s why I want to go back, but I’m scared I might just be chasing the idea of Japan rather than something that will help me figure out my life.
I’m interested in things like biomedical and anatomical research, medical illustration, and forensic anthropology because I like precision, detail, and tangible work—but I don’t know if I love any of those fields yet. I’ve contacted some programs, like an art school in Maastricht (the Netherlands), which has a program in medical illustration, about their job prospects, which is a concern of mine going into MI. They haven’t replied yet, so I don’t know what the job prospects look like.
I live in a very small town and its hard for me to find in-field things to experience in this time at home. I have a friend currently at RIT for medical illustration, and she says that she likes it, but is struggling to find a job, which has me even more concerned because of how much that school costs.
Graduate school in the U.S. is out of the question for me because I’m already $60k in debt from undergrad. With the money I've saved so far, I would be able to easily afford grad school in Japan, and in some schools in Europe, I would be able to afford it if I had a job while I was out there. But I’m not sure if Japan has enough opportunities in the fields I’m looking at.
by whatthewhat200