November 5th, 2008How to choose your career path after high school?
Nice weather. A little sun shine but windy too! I’ve always preferred cold to hot weather, which is why I loath staying in
It is not the way (s)he’s born, but the way he chooses and make decisions.
A question has been playing in my head while I’m studying intensely for my exams these days. Does everyone know their path (like what they wanna do for their whole life) when they leave high school? How does one knows definitely what his/her passion is at a mere age of say… 18yrs? Most teenagers continue their education today because it’s just the right thing to do. Everyone does that. A small number of people knows what they’re gonna be when they grow up but majority of today’s people don’t. What if we regret the course we’re in? We’re gonna waste our parent’s hard earn money. A person can have many interests, e.g.: gardening, cooking, computers, etc. How are we gonna choose which course suitable for us depending on interest before pursuing it by entering college? People say, choose something that you’re good at. But hey, what if your hidden talent doesn’t show before you enter college?
It’s sad to say this, but most people just go with the flow and do the “right” thing: finish high school, college, uni, work routinely (9 to 5 job), get a job, car, marry, children, die. Your life is then complete. What is our purpose in life? Is that circle a routine and considered ‘normal’ just because everyone is doing it?
I hereby would like to urge readers to step out of this routine. Do not worry about which course to take after high school just because everyone’s doing it. If you’re not sure about what you want, just relax and get a temporary job first. If that job doesn’t interest you, and you find yourself waiting for sign out time to get home, then I suggest you go on job hoping. Take 10 years if you must. Only pursue it if you’re absolutely sure if that is what you want to do for the rest of your life. Even worst, never go for fancy names of the course like: biotech or aerodynamics course because it makes you sound smart.
I would want my life to be meaningful. On the day I die, I would wanna remember who I’ve helped, who’s life I gave meaning to. Did I enjoy my life here on earth while I’m on it? That way, I would leave with no regrets.
Heck, I do not need to drive a fancy car or live in a palace or earn all the money in the world to be remembered. These things would stay here on earth when I die. If these things I’m after, on the day I die, I’m gonna ask this question: “What did I do my entire life? Where did everything I’ve work my entire life for gone to? I’ve saved every nick and penny to buy this enormous place just to live comfortably. Did I get to enjoy my hard earn money?”
We only live life once. Live it to the fullest. Human life is short. Enjoy it while you can. Do you know how big this world really is? With so much to see and learn, we really don’t have limited time as our life time is short. Humans have the means and capacity to reach out the other side of the world and learn different cultures. (We’ve invented airplane. What more do you want?) I once asked a back packer, why do you back pack? Isn’t it difficult to go country by country, stopping at some places to work odd jobs like in farms, or laborer in construction sites when you run out of money. Is visiting everywhere really worth all the hard work? (He’s a chef back in his home country) He said, I just love sitting down with a group of people all from different places and talking about their home country, or their backpacking experiences, is better than reading a book. These experiences, are something where you can’t find in books. So yes, all these hard work (I’m working part-time in the same farm as him to support my living expenses while studying) is worth it in exchange of all the knowledge that money can’t buy. (Even books can be bought)
November 5th, 2008 at 12:29 AM
stace, i compliment you on your writing style – you just say what you think and you express it well. I respect what you urge your readers. As for me, i’d beg to differ. I think we need not even worry what do we do after high school or after any stage in life. Yes, working first may suit others, while studying first may suit the rest. I guess it all comes to whether we trust in God to decide the best path for every individual. That is the benefit of having God in our lives isn’t it stace? I think you’d agree
With God, in control, we needn’t worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow will worry for itself. God will guide us to the right path, the path, the course, the job, the life that will be best for us. For person A, it may be this, for person B, it may be that, cause God has a different plan and path for different people. So if we just leave our lives into his hands, what is there to worry? Ask God to take control of your life today – is what i’d urge your readers in response to your post. 
November 5th, 2008 at 12:56 PM
I agree with you that we need to make a good decision to choose which career path so that we don’t regret later in future however I don’t agree if you need time to relax and think for up to 10 years if MUST because that’s way too wasting time. As you said time is short for everyone, so it’s better if we can decide during the early stage otherwise it will we wasting a lot of money. For example, if you study medicine courses to become a doctor, but after you graduated and already become a doctor, you decided your real interest is to become a laywer. Depending on the situation, sometimes it’s best to put your best interest as your own hobby. For example, a man can be a mortgage analyst by day, but at night and during the weekend, he is affiliate marketer and pro-blogger. Isn’t this the best way where you can earn money from both side plus you can get to practice what you’re good as well ?