It's that time of the year again when young men and women graduate from high schools and colleges, perhaps with hopes and dreams, perhaps with a lot of trepidation and confusion. I wonder what advice I would give to my younger self just out of high school. Not that my younger self would have welcomed any advice from anyone.
So for those who are open to hearing advice from someone who is thoroughly unqualified to give such advices, here goes.
a) If you are genuinely confused about choosing between two disciplines, for now choose the one where a degree matters. For example, between rocket science and dancing, choose rocket science. Much easier to correct later.
b) If you know what you want, and your parents are pushing you in a different direction, tell them you have on good authority [use names like Elon Musk or Kurzweil] that the robots are coming to take over those jobs.
c) Make sure you are choosing a discipline not just based on the most glamorous figure in the said field. Would you want to go for it even if you end up in a job similar to that of the portly uncle who lives three houses down the road?
d) Don't choose to go to a college just because your boyfriend is going there [unless you are in the movie Legally Blonde].
e) There will always be elements out of your control whatever discipline you choose. You could end up being a damn good baker after getting a law degree from Harvard. Or go on to start a biotech company after getting trained to become a Master Brewer. Like in Shakespeare comedies it all works out in the end.
Lastly Have Fun.
So for those who are open to hearing advice from someone who is thoroughly unqualified to give such advices, here goes.
a) If you are genuinely confused about choosing between two disciplines, for now choose the one where a degree matters. For example, between rocket science and dancing, choose rocket science. Much easier to correct later.
b) If you know what you want, and your parents are pushing you in a different direction, tell them you have on good authority [use names like Elon Musk or Kurzweil] that the robots are coming to take over those jobs.
c) Make sure you are choosing a discipline not just based on the most glamorous figure in the said field. Would you want to go for it even if you end up in a job similar to that of the portly uncle who lives three houses down the road?
d) Don't choose to go to a college just because your boyfriend is going there [unless you are in the movie Legally Blonde].
e) There will always be elements out of your control whatever discipline you choose. You could end up being a damn good baker after getting a law degree from Harvard. Or go on to start a biotech company after getting trained to become a Master Brewer. Like in Shakespeare comedies it all works out in the end.
Lastly Have Fun.
