The new year invites friends and family to ask every young person’s favourite question – “so, what are you going to do now?”
The truth is, there’s more out there than university or graduate jobs and it doesn’t take a lump of money and a trip around the world to start moving forward.
If you’re stuck on where to start, keep reading for a helping hand on how to start taking steps in the right direction (even if you don’t know what the final destination is).
Relax and reset.
Your body and brain have probably been wired into a very linear mode of operation, and it’s time to start your own cycle. Use this time to figure out your strengths and how you work best!
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Are you craving company or are you operating solo from your bedroom? Do you need repeated refreshment outdoors or are you happy behind a screen? All these little things are key indicators of how you can begin making positive changes that are all about you, and where you want to be. Use our guide to making the most of your summer holidays as a starting point.
What do you really want?
High school or further education may have snubbed any sense of what you truly enjoy, or got you lost in a web of “what you should be doing”. You might be feeling like you need to go down one career path or just choose one thing to study but that’s not necessarily the case – your future is digital, creative, and entrepreneurial.
It might sound daunting, but so many of the jobs we’ll be doing in the future don’t exist yet. As technology advances and more ideas are shared, the way we live, work, and learn will continue to evolve. But don’t freak out! Think of it as a chance to choose-your-own-adventure – instead of thinking of your future as getting a job and moving up from there, think of it as getting jobs to give you skills that you can take to lots of different jobs and industries.
Like working in a cafe – you’ll develop communication skills that will come in handy across just about any job or industry.
Rethink your learning.
You don’t need a list of reading materials, which pens and pencils to use (if any), and number of units to be assessed, in order for you to compile your own resources and series of challenges. Learning isn’t just done in the classroom.
One way you can learn is by looking to the internet for bloggers, writers and leaders, who are living a life you want to be a part of. How did they get to where they are? How do they document their ideas and share their opinions? You might be surprised to see how similar your starting points are. Take a look at the wonderful young ambassadors within the Uni’s Not for Me community for some inspiration.
Education is experience.
Readjust your social circles, expand what you’re exposed to, and aim to discover something new every day. Now you don’t have to sign up for a semester or go on a spiritual retreat, explore what your city has to offer and dive right in for little or no cost.
Want to look a little deeper into how your favourite online worlds work? Combat an Hour of Code from Khan Academy. Ready to start solving big-picture problems? Browse petitions on Change.org, or even start your own. Want to loosen up your manual making skills? Craft something new with projects from the Instructables. Dreaming about your future as a global citizen? Learn a language online, or become a tutor. There’s more than one way to build a skillset that will help you carve out a fulfilling career (and probably earn more money on average).
Stress less and start to get excited. Don’t feel guilty about not going down traditional paths to starting a career. It’s totally fine to indulge your blogging obsession while your friends might be locking in their timetables, the world of work is changing and so are the paths you can take to get there.
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