Students, as much as I wanted to acquaint you in my class with ways on how not to commit the same mistakes I or people of my age had committed, I am being halted everytime I remember that we have so much to finish within a very limited time. All that being said, I am caught in total despair that if I cannot do that inside the classroom, may be in some other medium. So here I am writing in wee hours of the night all for your consumption.
I think I have to begin by saying that I made more memories in High School than I did in college. That is for me not to invalidate your feelings or fear of parting with friends whom you have shared all your peaks and troughs with. That's normal. Pretty normal. To console you, I guess it pays that I mention the fact that I still have most of them in my life now and I cannot describe the pain in the stomach we get everytime we talk about all the memories we've made in high school. But my dear, you cannot look back if you haven't gotten too far yet. And you can only continue journeying after making one important decision. Do you already know what I am talking about? To stop you from guessing, let me disclose it---CHOOSING THE RIGHT COURSE!
I cannot overemphasize the need to figure it out as early as now. After all nothing is more frustrating than realizing that what you have worked on for so long is not actually what you really wanted. Yes, it is a decision that can impact your entire life. I'm not saying I regretted the path I took, because if you know me well enough, I need not convince you that I do not. What I am saying is, I know a lot of people who did. And I don't want you to be just like them.
Having been to your shoes I know it is not as easy as changing your tassel from right to left. So, I have outlined some things to consider in choosing the right career path.
1. DISCOVER YOUR NATURAL BENT. Although there are several exams that will help you gauge what are you more inclined in, I still believe that no one else, not even your teacher, can determine what you can do without lifting a finger except yourself. This can be something that you are born with or perhaps you have developed over the years, you being a product of your environment. While there is a merit to the statement, hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard, I still believe that If you naturally possess the abilities needed for a particular course you are at an edge compared to those who do not have it. Learning will be a lot easier, trust me. You will need a shorter time to study. Remember, in whatever endeavour you are into, time is always a limited resource. You may begin shortlisting the options you have, then research or ask around about what are the necessary competencies in that particular course.
2. PICTURE OUT YOUR VISION. Just like a company that's trying to start up, you need to answer the question how do you see yourself in the long haul. Only when you know what your end goal is will you be able to lay down the steps on how you are going to achieve that. It is like developing an action plan. For example if you want to be a public servant then a course that may effectively prepare you to becoming a lawyer will suit you. For some, this vision might be a childhood dream.
3. FINANCIAL CAPACITY. It's a pity that there are some that need to forego all of the choices they've made earlier just because of this. But I have made this the last because I believe this is the most important. There were a lot who were forced to drop out from school just because they could no longer continually finance their college education. But just because you might be confronted with this doesn't mean to say it's the end of it. It is also in this aspect that there could be a myriad of possible ways. For example, you can apply for scholarships. If you're brave enough not to give up on what you really wanted, you can juggle work and school all at the same time.
This is not me being all-knowing. I am not smarter, just more experienced.
I hope you gained clarity out from this article. But just in the very event you fail to make the right decision, just remember that you can always make the decision right, if you truly will.
Be careful what you wish for because in the end, Success might be just like the attic of the house, the topmost part but generally the most empty. So while its imperative for us to feel the need to labor so hard to be successful, I think to bang away to be happy is also of paramount importance.
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