After graduating from Purdue University in December 2016, I had no idea what I wanted to do professionally. But the “real world” was fast approaching, and my time of living mostly bill-free as a college student was drawing to a close. Since I wasn’t tied down to a job just yet, I spent three months in early 2017 hiking, sailing and sea kayaking in New Zealand.

When I returned to the U.S., I thought my life would carry on as usual...