5 Easy Ways To Make Your Life Difficult At Higher Education Level

Higher Education Choices are the first significant decision in the life of most individuals that can really impact their future forever. If you falter at this step and try to take an easier route by just following the line, you can as well be going towards Anonymity and Nothingness like everybody else. Here are five easy ways to make your life difficult at Higher Education level:

1.Going with the Stereotypes:

Girija scored 85% in English Literature, 92% in Social Science, 63% in Mathematics and 78% in Science. She loved writing poems and some of them had been published in children's magazines and local newspapers too. Yet, when the time came for choosing an education stream at Class XII level, she chose Science - Maths as her option because her father thought that Arts and Humanities are only meant for dumb students. She struggled with Mathematics for two years and just passed in the subject in her XII boards. Her parents blamed her lack of interest in the studies and wasting time on writing poems for her results. Consequently, she lost her confidence and her zeal to pursue her passion in writing.

The stereotypes are very strong in India. A son of a doctor is expected to become a doctor. Congress is after the life of Priyanka Gandhi to join Politics like her family. Sometimes the pressure becomes too strong for an individual to resist. But if you always listen to what others say, you will ‘at best' remain in the subservient position forever.

2.Join the Herd:

Seshan was known for his musical talent during his school days. He could play almost any instrument and come up with tunes almost instantly. But he was but an average student in his school days. At the time, there were no talent hunt shows to look up to and talent in music meant endless struggle in Bollywood, with lucky breaks for the few. So, he joined B.com like all his friends, cleared the clerical exams for bank, and is now spending his life checking the cheques and typing away the bank details of the clients on his system. His school-days friends agree that Seshan they knew is now lost and the man he is today is just an impersonation working for his family and for his kids.

There might be struggle and difficulties in the way of your success in your chosen career. You might have to sacrifice some of the luxuries of life too. But if you really have the talent and have a passion to pursue it, you will surely succeed. And as the saying goes, Success stands just around the corner of the point where you are about to give up.

3.No Plans for the Future:

Vandana was good in almost all the subjects but she especially loved History. However, she was always clueless when someone asked her what she wanted to become. She thought she might like to be a doctor one day and the other day, she wanted to become a teacher. She had no idea what her interests and hobbies were and she had no plans for the future. Going with the flow was her ideology. Now, she is married with two kids but yet feel void and unhappy.

Having abilities, talents, and intelligence don't really matter, if you don't try to do anything with them. If you do not take the pains to chalk out your own future or analyze your own interests, you will achieve nothing. Going with the flow means just that - reach wherever destiny takes you. If you don't like it, well, it is your fault. You should have at least tried for a better future. It is better to make an effort and fail in it than to make no efforts at all - because then, you won't be able to forgive yourself for not trying.

4.Believe the Printed Word:

Pawan came from a lower-middle class family. He was the only one in his family to be able to complete his graduation and the entire family was betting on him to make their lives better. MBA seemed to be the best education program to him to earn big bucks. So, he took admission in a C-grade management college in a smaller town. He also took an education loan to pay the fees of the institute. But later, the institute was shut down for lack of proper infrastructure and approvals. His fate, like several other students, was left hanging in lurch.

Not all institutes think about the wellbeing of their students. It is up to you to think about yourself. For most institutes, Education is a business and they are in the market to make money. So, don't believe in everything they claim to be. Crosscheck with the authorities, read alumni feedback and review of the institutes, use education forums to network with the existing students of the institute and enquire about the actual facilities offered by the institute before you opt to enroll in it.

5.Heading for XYZ Institute:

Satish Sabarwal did not want to prepare for a competitive exam and hence, did his MBBS from a paid seat from a small-city medical college. Of course, he had to work hard to clear his exams. Yet, in the community of doctors, he is still treated as a second-grade citizen just because he opted for a paid seat instead of fighting it out the hard way.

If you have it in you, fight it out and try to secure a seat on the basis of your merit in the best institute possible. Rankings and ratings of the institute and its value in the market does matter when it comes to professional communities.

Solution: Be your own Master. Explore your career options. And learn to say ‘No' when necessary.

Source: Ruchi Shrimali (Shiksha Team)
Date: 27^th May, 2011