You've made it. You have passed your matric year and now you are wondering now what?!
Thing is, it can be quite daunting starting from scratch: how will you know what to do? How will you make good choices? How will you meet people who will help guide you through this adventure? Well, I've got some answers for you.
I know that as a student, you may have spent most of your time studying and thinking about school. It's easy to forget that the world doesn't actually revolve around your teachers or exams or subjects. But now, as an adult, your world has expanded a whole lot. There are lots of new things to get to grips with. They may be scary at first, but they will make your life more interesting – and much more rewarding.
As an adult, there are few certainties; everything is relative; everything is in flux. You're going to have to make decisions based on imperfect information and incomplete facts (that's pretty much what life is anyway). And it's going to be even harder for you because you are just getting started and you will be taking on much more responsibility now.
Now that you’ve graduated, it’s time to start thinking about what comes next. Maybe you’ve got a job lined up and a place to live. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you have a plan but no idea how to get it started; maybe you have an idea but no path to follow towards it. Starting university is a huge step in life. You'll be moving from the safety of your family to a new community, with all its complex social rules.
You may think learning stops when the last school bell rings, but in some ways it has just begun. For the rest of your life, every day will be another chance to learn new things – not always in formal settings like school or university, but by pursuing interests and trying new things.
Life is full of choices and decisions, but some of the most interesting ones you’ll ever make don’t exist in a textbook. Your life will be a series of adventures and learning opportunities waiting to unfold. Find out what sparks your curiosity and make it happen!
And this is where it gets tricky. The whole point of school is that someone else decides what you learn and how much of it; in the real world there are no tests and no grades, just your own experiences and the choices you make from them. So when do you decide that something counts as learning? When does doing something for fun become a hobby? When does experience become expertise? And how do you handle that inevitable moment when someone asks you "So what are your plans"?....
You’ve now officially entered the real world – and it’s time to start thinking about what comes next if you have not already. This can be a scary time.
Here are some options for you:
Where To Study in South Africa
Tips For Students Transitioning From High School To University
Not Going to University? Here Are Other Options For You
How Students Can Benefit From Taking A Gap Year
