What I loved most about writing Delaying the Real World was tracking down young adventurers all over the globe, from Anchorage to Bombay. Thanks to people like Mary Finnan, who worked on a goat farm in rural France, and Will Ralph, who taught skiing in Vail, Colorado, Delaying the Real World grew into a chorus of a diverse voices. Over 100 firsthand accounts are mixed throughout the book, offering advice on everything from how to get a summer job at a national park, to where to book an around-the-world plane ticket.

I don’t do well in cubicles. Since college, I’ve been avoiding them. I’ve also been writing about how to avoid them. Delaying the Real World is a guide to unconventional work, travel, and volunteer opportunities. The book is filled with tips from young people who’ve biked across America, staffed cruise ships, taught in Japan, nannied in Europe, and backpacked every place in between.

Called a “must read on college campuses” by The New York Times, the book has sold over 20,000 copies. A few years ago, Delaying the Real World was translated into Chinese. That’s the cover on the left. I still cannot tell whether that’s an Asian suitcase, or a sardine can.

Recently, I got back in touch with the original cast of Delaying The Real World, to write an essay for the Washingtonpost.com about what people do after they’ve delayed the real world. Mary and Will, among others, reported back from their respective office spaces, to offer some mature wisdom on the topic. “Not a Delay, but a Detour” was part of the Post’s 2007 “Grad Guide.”