by Ashley Henrickson
“You really should think about your future. What are you going to do with your life? You must work harder, otherwise you won’t get good grades or a good job!”
If you’re in high school, this probably sounds all too familiar. It stresses you out, makes you feel unsure and scared about life after school, and probably makes you want to thump the person peddling those unhelpful statements.
While your friend might have known she wanted to be a nurse since she was five, you are certainly not alone if you don’t feel confident in choosing a career just yet. Your teachers probably tell you this is a very, very bad thing and that it’s something you need to decide very soon. But I am telling you otherwise.
As an incredibly indecisive 19-year-old who will be graduating university later this year, I am telling you to take a deep breath, and take comfort in the fact that there are others who have gone before you and felt the exact same feelings you are feeling. I am one such example and speak from experience when I say you will be okay. (I hope you’ve taken that deep breath by now!)
To help you believe that you will be okay, I’m going to share with you some hindsight and tips on getting through your final years of high school and into the real world. (Please remember I’m not an expert, I’m just a girl sharing tips from my own experience!)
1. The subjects you choose will not define you.
I can’t say for sure that this is true for all occupations, but whatever subjects you choose will not determine how good of a job you’ll get later on. Obviously, skill-demanding careers like engineering or pharmacy require prerequisite knowledge, but if you haven’t chosen a career and you’re already in the process of choosing subjects, it’s likely you won’t pursue this sort of career in the future anyway. So, if you are in this position and are about to choose your subjects for years 11 and 12 (or similar), here are some handy hints:
- Choose subjects that interest you and that you enjoy. You’ve probably heard this before, but you will breeze through high school if you like what you are doing.
- If possible, choose a wide variety of subjects (and ones you think can be applied to a range of different university/vocational courses and careers). For example, on top of basic English and maths I studied law, business, home economics and dance. It’s a random combination, but it worked for me – they all tickled my interests. If available to you (and only if it interests you) I highly recommend taking a business subject. I didn’t know what university course I was going to pick two years later and it’s the one subject that has helped me exponentially in my university degree. Besides that, if you’ve got basic business knowledge up your sleeve it is handy for when you apply for jobs. Business knowledge can be applied to literally everything you do!
- Don’t stress over it! If you get halfway through year 11 and discover a subject is not right for you, you can usually change your choice with little or no academic penalty. And sometimes making an incorrect choice is extremely helpful, as it helps you find out what you don’t like. This helps you make the right choice when it comes to your university/vocational course. I thought I was going to be a lawyer at one stage, but studying law changed that very fast.
If you’re already in year 11 or 12 and have chosen your subjects, simply try your best! Give everything a go and you will go far. If you get through year 12 and discover your passion is to be a rocket scientist – great! If you still don’t know what you want to do, the next tip will help you out.
2. Choose a university/vocational course that is flexible.
Maybe you don’t have a career in mind, but you know you want to go onto tertiary study. That’s what I knew, and I didn’t think it was possible. Ladies and gentlemen, don’t listen to anybody when they tell you it isn’t possible because IT IS! Isn’t that great? You can expand your cranium regardless of whether or not you have picked a career.
How? Look into courses and degrees that cater to your indecisiveness. There’s bound to be a university or TAFE institution near you that has a degree that lets you choose from a wide variety of subjects that interest you. This is especially the case if you don’t mind choosing a creative degree. Don’t be put off by the word “creative”. You don’t need to be good at art or know how to play an instrument. That’s not what all creative degrees are about.
I’m studying a creative degree, majoring in Entertainment. My major doesn’t require me to entertain people with a dance or anything like that. It teaches me how to combine business skills with creativity. It includes marketing, very basic entertainment law, and even gives me the opportunity to do an internship as part of my degree.
My degree also allows me to choose either another major, or two minors. I chose to do two minors alongside Entertainment. This is fantastic for people who don’t know what career they want because it lets you study three completely different areas that interest you. I chose Journalism and Fashion, and within those two minors I’ve done subjects that have shown me what I do and don’t like (much like making incorrect subject choices in school). I graduate in nine months and I only decided on my career choice two weeks ago.
If university isn’t for you and you’re considering a vocational course, I think that as long as you pick something you are passionate about you can’t go wrong. (I can’t give too much advice on vocational study since I haven’t followed that path.)
The bottom line is, there are plenty of options out there! Don’t be afraid to go to open days at universities and TAFE institutions and talk to people to find out what you can do.
3. Pay attention and work hard in your English class.
Or whatever your native language is. Proficient communication will take you to places that nothing else can. It will also make your life 1000 times easier if you choose to go onto higher education after school. I have written more reports and essays than I care to think about, and I’m studying a creative degree. I promise that working hard now will pay off big time in the future.
4. Don’t let people’s opinions affect your judgment of your own future.
You are the only person who can decide what is right for you. You know your own strengths and weaknesses, and only you know what limits and goals you want to set for yourself.
But at the same time, don’t let your own negative thoughts and presumptions about work or study affect your future. Talk to the relevant people to equip yourself with the right information before you decide something isn’t for you. Be open to change and trying new things. You have nothing to lose!
5. Remember that you will be okay.
Take as long as you need to decide what your first move after school will be, because at the end of the day you’ve got your whole life to change career as often as you please. Life after school isn’t as scary as you think it will be once you get there. Take it from someone who has survived what you’re about to go through.
“You really should think about your future. What are you going to do with your life? You must work harder, otherwise you won’t get good grades or a good job!”
If you’re in high school, this probably sounds all too familiar. It stresses you out, makes you feel unsure and scared about life after school, and probably makes you want to thump the person peddling those unhelpful statements.
While your friend might have known she wanted to be a nurse since she was five, you are certainly not alone if you don’t feel confident in choosing a career just yet. Your teachers probably tell you this is a very, very bad thing and that it’s something you need to decide very soon. But I am telling you otherwise.
As an incredibly indecisive 19-year-old who will be graduating university later this year, I am telling you to take a deep breath, and take comfort in the fact that there are others who have gone before you and felt the exact same feelings you are feeling. I am one such example and speak from experience when I say you will be okay. (I hope you’ve taken that deep breath by now!)
To help you believe that you will be okay, I’m going to share with you some hindsight and tips on getting through your final years of high school and into the real world. (Please remember I’m not an expert, I’m just a girl sharing tips from my own experience!)
1. The subjects you choose will not define you.
I can’t say for sure that this is true for all occupations, but whatever subjects you choose will not determine how good of a job you’ll get later on. Obviously, skill-demanding careers like engineering or pharmacy require prerequisite knowledge, but if you haven’t chosen a career and you’re already in the process of choosing subjects, it’s likely you won’t pursue this sort of career in the future anyway. So, if you are in this position and are about to choose your subjects for years 11 and 12 (or similar), here are some handy hints:
- Choose subjects that interest you and that you enjoy. You’ve probably heard this before, but you will breeze through high school if you like what you are doing.
- If possible, choose a wide variety of subjects (and ones you think can be applied to a range of different university/vocational courses and careers). For example, on top of basic English and maths I studied law, business, home economics and dance. It’s a random combination, but it worked for me – they all tickled my interests. If available to you (and only if it interests you) I highly recommend taking a business subject. I didn’t know what university course I was going to pick two years later and it’s the one subject that has helped me exponentially in my university degree. Besides that, if you’ve got basic business knowledge up your sleeve it is handy for when you apply for jobs. Business knowledge can be applied to literally everything you do!
- Don’t stress over it! If you get halfway through year 11 and discover a subject is not right for you, you can usually change your choice with little or no academic penalty. And sometimes making an incorrect choice is extremely helpful, as it helps you find out what you don’t like. This helps you make the right choice when it comes to your university/vocational course. I thought I was going to be a lawyer at one stage, but studying law changed that very fast.
If you’re already in year 11 or 12 and have chosen your subjects, simply try your best! Give everything a go and you will go far. If you get through year 12 and discover your passion is to be a rocket scientist – great! If you still don’t know what you want to do, the next tip will help you out.
2. Choose a university/vocational course that is flexible.
Maybe you don’t have a career in mind, but you know you want to go onto tertiary study. That’s what I knew, and I didn’t think it was possible. Ladies and gentlemen, don’t listen to anybody when they tell you it isn’t possible because IT IS! Isn’t that great? You can expand your cranium regardless of whether or not you have picked a career.
How? Look into courses and degrees that cater to your indecisiveness. There’s bound to be a university or TAFE institution near you that has a degree that lets you choose from a wide variety of subjects that interest you. This is especially the case if you don’t mind choosing a creative degree. Don’t be put off by the word “creative”. You don’t need to be good at art or know how to play an instrument. That’s not what all creative degrees are about.
I’m studying a creative degree, majoring in Entertainment. My major doesn’t require me to entertain people with a dance or anything like that. It teaches me how to combine business skills with creativity. It includes marketing, very basic entertainment law, and even gives me the opportunity to do an internship as part of my degree.
My degree also allows me to choose either another major, or two minors. I chose to do two minors alongside Entertainment. This is fantastic for people who don’t know what career they want because it lets you study three completely different areas that interest you. I chose Journalism and Fashion, and within those two minors I’ve done subjects that have shown me what I do and don’t like (much like making incorrect subject choices in school). I graduate in nine months and I only decided on my career choice two weeks ago.
If university isn’t for you and you’re considering a vocational course, I think that as long as you pick something you are passionate about you can’t go wrong. (I can’t give too much advice on vocational study since I haven’t followed that path.)
The bottom line is, there are plenty of options out there! Don’t be afraid to go to open days at universities and TAFE institutions and talk to people to find out what you can do.
3. Pay attention and work hard in your English class.
Or whatever your native language is. Proficient communication will take you to places that nothing else can. It will also make your life 1000 times easier if you choose to go onto higher education after school. I have written more reports and essays than I care to think about, and I’m studying a creative degree. I promise that working hard now will pay off big time in the future.
4. Don’t let people’s opinions affect your judgment of your own future.
You are the only person who can decide what is right for you. You know your own strengths and weaknesses, and only you know what limits and goals you want to set for yourself.
But at the same time, don’t let your own negative thoughts and presumptions about work or study affect your future. Talk to the relevant people to equip yourself with the right information before you decide something isn’t for you. Be open to change and trying new things. You have nothing to lose!
5. Remember that you will be okay.
Take as long as you need to decide what your first move after school will be, because at the end of the day you’ve got your whole life to change career as often as you please. Life after school isn’t as scary as you think it will be once you get there. Take it from someone who has survived what you’re about to go through.
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