- Mackenzie Gilligan converted a school bus she panic-bought into a living space so she could travel.
- She graduated in May this year from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Master's degree.
Petting her dog Kai while on a Zoom call, Mackenzie Gilligan is enjoying the outdoor space of an Airbnb where she's staying while her home is undergoing some repairs.
Gilligan, who graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in May this year with a Master's degree in public health policy and management, is now looking for a remote job while living in a van.
During her last year at UMass, the 23-year-old struggled to find an apartment. At that point, she had only dreamt of van life, but she wondered: "Do I want to spend a ton of money on an apartment or buy a van and take off right after school?"
So she panic-bought a school bus from an auction and converted it in two months with the help of friends and family.
Speaking to Insider, Gilligan shared her struggle to find a remote job that she finds equally fulfilling and rewarding without underplaying her skills.
She said: "It is difficult at times, because a lot of the entry-level positions, especially when you're coming right out of college, they want you to be in the office, they want you to be hands-on learning and I have nothing against that, but it's just a bit tough when you're living in a vehicle."
"I think it's in our nature when you're in van life to want to move around," Gilligan added. But she highlighted another factor: safety.
"Especially being a solo female, if you're in an area and parking at the same spaces every day, people will know where you live and you can become a target."
Finding cell signal can also be tricky. Gilligan says she uses two cell networks and a signal booster to maximize her chance of getting connected.
Had she had a job, she would likely have invested in Elon Musk's Starlink system. "It's like $600 to buy the unit and then another $100 a month, and living in a vehicle with no job right now is just not feasible," Gilligan added.
But for now, she said she will organize herself to ensure she camps near a town where she can be "somewhere with self-service or WiFi to access."
She shared her top tips for maximizing your chances of finding a remote job while living on the road.
Be open to opportunities, but don't settle for just anything
She would expect a starting salary of $45,000 per year. She said she doesn't want all the extra effort she put into doing a Master's not to be recognized, and with the rising living costs, she feels it would only be fair.
Set yourself boundaries
You don't want to work your life away and have nothing to look back on. Living on the road means you want to be able to enjoy the freedom that comes with it. Gilligan advises setting boundaries for working hours.
"What I learned from European culture was that when you're working, you're working hard, but when the workday's over, that's your time," she said.
Embrace the freedom of living on the road
She told Insider she lost a few people suddenly in recent years, which pushed her to want more out of life. "If the only aspect of your life is work, then you're not gonna figure yourself out and you're gonna hurt yourself in the long run."
To anyone thinking about going into van life, Gilligan said: "Just go for it. You only have so much time in this life so do what will make you happy. It was definitely the best decision I made."