What I Wish I Knew When I Left School
3 years ago
In the months that follow the end of school (and the novelty of your newfound freedom starts to wear off) a lot of us find ourselves in uncharted territory, wondering anxiously about what to do next. Is Uni the right choice? Should you take a gap year? Maybe it’s time to find a job! Us here at RESN are totally familiar with that post-school anxiety, when deciding what move to make is more confusing that any Year 12 exam and can leave you feeling super overwhelmed.
In figuring out what’s right for you, hearing well-informed advice and opinions from people who’ve explored a range of different pathways can make all the difference. So, to help you out, we’ve gathered some first-hand testimonials to give you some handy insight into what some school-leavers wish they’d known when kicking off the next chapter of their life.
Mynah, 20, had some really interesting reflections on the pressure and anxiety she felt after leaving school, remarking that “When I graduated high school, the adult world and my future seemed to be on an uncertain trajectory. I didn’t have an exact career in mind and choosing a degree or pathway toward an unknown goal was a daunting weight on my shoulders. I look back on those anxious moments and wish I had spared myself the worry because life does not have to operate on a rigid or conventional timeline. To this day, I cannot say I know exactly who I want to be and how to get there, I am not sure many can, but trying to get there has resulted in some of the most unexpectedly enriching moments of my life.
Kristopher, 20, advises “You don’t need to rush into everything. It may feel like life is coming at you fast and you need to make all these important choices now and stick by them forever, but you don’t. You’ve got time, use it how you want.”
Commenting on the value of taking a gap year, Alisha, 21, says – “Don’t feel obligated to go down a certain path, just make sure that you follow what you are passionate about and motivated by and you’ll never regret your decision. Taking a gap year was great for me, as it gave me the time to really figure out my interests and what I wanted to do next."
For those of your considering heading off to uni in the coming months, here are some handy tips for first years to help you land on your feet:
Cate, 21, who is currently completing a Bachelor of Business at UTS, gives some helpful tips for any nervous first years - “If you’re choosing to go to university, make sure that you keep up a routine for yourself to manage your workload. Getting involved in the social world of a new university is super exciting, but make sure not to slack off in your first year, as this is the best time to get a feel for your courses and keep your GPA high!”
Own of our very own from the RESN team, Seerat, 21, who is studying Law and Commerce at Monash, emphasised the value of staying open to change - “What you think you want to do may not necessarily end up being what you enjoy. Keep an open mind to other avenues so that you’re not disappointed or disheartened when what you thought you wanted didn’t end up being all that. Things not working out according to plan may just be a blessing in disguise.”
Hearing the thoughts of people on what they’d tell their younger selves gives us an awesome opportunity to learn through their experiences and take their advice on board, hopefully easing some of your anxiety for this next chapter. We’ve also got some other fab and informative posts on our blog for even more info about things like choosing courses and what to do if uni isn’t for you. Whatever it is you choose to do, we here at RESN wish you the best of luck and are sure no matter what it is…you'll smash it!