<p>I wouldn’t go to grad school until you’re sure you know why you’re going and how it will help you get the job you’re hoping for. it’s a lot of money (even if you get scholarships, you’re still giving up on having a job for a few years) and it would stink to find out you’ve prepared yourself for a field you don’t really like!</p>
<p>Your career center might have tests you can take to inventory your interests and skills and match you with certain careers based on that. or you could apply for jobs at places you think you might want to work (I think it doesn’t really matter what you’ll be doing at the place–even if you are doing clerical work, you’ll get a good sense of what the people are like, what their jobs are, what sort of paths people took to get the jobs you hope to have, etc). </p>
<p>Also, if you are looking for a job that allows you to stay in DC and maintain a “high-maintenance” lifestyle without going to grad school, I’d suggest applying for paralegal positions at large law firms. The work is detail-oriented and sometimes tedious, but you will be well-paid (mostly because you’ll be working lots of overtime!) and get good benefits.</p>