Scotch College

School Captain's Column June 2001

School Captain's Column

Already it's getting toward that time of year, when thousands of students across the state have to read their job guide and make a decision as to what they are going to do for the rest of their lives.

They have to juggle their studies with university open days, read course information guides, deal with parents offering advice, see careers counsellors and finally decide on their course applications.

It is a stressful time for those that have little idea what they want to do. How do I know? Last year I was in that exact same position.

If you ask a boy currently in Year 12 what he wants to do with his career, there's a distinct chance that he will have his whole life mapped out in his head. He may tell you that he is going to study Commerce/Law at Melbourne before joining his dad's law firm and working his way up the ladder until he is running the business. He will retire at the age of fifty-five with a sizeable nest egg, spending the rest of his years in a beachfront Gold Coast apartment.

For every one boy that has an answer like that, however, there are ten that have no idea where life will take them.

Last week I was asked by an onlooker at an APS football game what I wanted to do with my life. When I said honestly, 'I have no idea', his reaction was, surprisingly, one of relief.

While I ended up getting into my first choice of course last year, I still have no idea whether it is the right path for me. So I decided to come back to school and have a think about it. The point is that there is nothing wrong with having no idea what you want to do.

If I look at my closest friends, four have deferred, four are doing general degrees to keep their options open, and only one has a clear idea of where he may end up.

They are doing everything from playing AFL football to taking camping tours on the Queensland coast. There are so many options open to those leaving school, especially if they depart with a Scotch education under their arm.

When Year 12s come to deciding where and what they want to study next year, they should not be worried if they have little inspiration. To know your destination in life at this age leaves little to chance in the future; how boring.

My advice would be not to tie yourself down. Find out where your interests lie, then discover the options available to explore these interests. That way you give yourself the best chance of eventually singling out the path which best suits you.

Brendan Ferguson