By guest writer Shae Komant
I’m sure you’ve had the question “so what are you going to do after school?” come up many times and probably more often as you approach the end of your high school days. Trust me I know that question all to well and continue to even get asked it now (I’m currently in graduate school and have done four years of university haha) and sometimes I still don’t know how to answer it. So if you find yourself wondering what’s next let me assure you that you are not alone! I want to let you know that it is more than okay to not really know what the next few years may look like and most importantly it is going to look different for everyone. But through these times of uncertainly there’s one thing I’ve learned, and trust me it took a while for me to learn, is that it is okay to not know as long as you continue to grow and move forward. So for the girl who might not know what’s next here are some things I try to remember through these times of discovery.
1. Do Some Research.
When I say do research I don’t just mean the usual looking into schools and programs online and the requirements to get into them, but look into all aspects of what interests you and all your options that can be explored.
For example, if you do want to look into post-secondary options I found it helpful to attend an open house at the different institutes that interest you. At the open house, you will be able to explore the different programs offered at the school as well as get first hand information from current students from all sorts of programs. Did you know that while in a Science degree at the University of Alberta that you can also take Criminology courses or Graphic design? I definitely did not, but I learned all that when I did my open house tour!
However, some other research I found very helpful especially when looking outside of just schools and courses was some simple, old fashion talking to people. By talking to different adults, older friends, cousins or even teachers you can gain insight on their life experiences and how they ended up on their current path. When I was in Grade 12, I remember speaking to my social studies and biology teachers to find out how they ended up as teachers and what I learned was that one of them never even thought of being a teacher out of high school, but instead he wanted to take a break from school and decided to travel to China with a missions team. It was on that trip while teaching English to children that he realized teaching was something he not only enjoyed by really cared about and had a passion for. And after the trip he decided to start his education degree. Now while I don’t recommend everyone going to China, I do think the conversation with him was really important because it helped me realize that there are lots of ways we come to find our passions in life. This leads me to my next point, to follow you interests…
2. Follow Your Interests No Matter How Small.
People may talk about following your passions and dreams but sometimes I find that can be overwhelming, how do you know when you’re passionate about something, or what if you’ve dreamed about a lot of different things? This is where following all the little things I enjoyed really helped me. I’ve always dreamt of becoming a doctor, but I knew that most likely wasn’t going to happen right away, so with that dream in mind I decided to follow my smaller interests. I knew I enjoyed science, mainly biology so I went with it and started a science degree at the University of Alberta. However, when it came to choosing my elective classes outside my science courses, I explore my other interests. I ended up taking a criminology course which was very interesting. Then while taking a look through the elective list I came across a class called “Immunology” which I had never heard of but a description of the course peaked my interest; and so I followed that interest and here I am four years later doing a Masters in Immunology after never even knowing it existed. This just goes to say that by following even my smallest of interests in a course description, I ended up in something I now really enjoy.
But following your interests doesn’t just have to be with school, if you enjoy art and music take a look into different ways you can pursue it, whether it be through schooling (interior design, architecture, a music degree) or maybe an internship at a design company, volunteering at an art gallery in order to see the different careers that are available and what you might need to pursue them. Maybe if outreach is something you’re interested in, you can take some time to volunteer with different non-profits that fit the kind of work you want to be involved in for example; summer camps for kids with disabilities, women’s shelters or literacy groups for immigrants. Whatever it is you have found to peak your interest try to follow it because you never know where the smallest of interests can take you.
3. It’s okay to change your mind; everyone’s journey is unique.
No matter what you choose or what interests you follow it is never bad to change your mind, and just because something interested you two years ago doesn’t mean it always has to. Within my own friend groups I’ve known people who started on one path but have since ended up somewhere totally different. For example a friend of mine started his science degree, but found he was also interested in drawing and design so he decided to transfer to industrial design and is now studying for a semester in Germany! I’ve also know people who started by going to post-secondary but after a year decided to take some time off and pursue volunteering and working with people at care homes and found a love for working with the elderly and out reach organizations. Another finished their science degree and while in school developed a love for music so once they graduated they transferred to a classical music degree at Juilliard. These examples are meant to show that no matter where you start you can end up in many different places and that it is more than okay to go with these changes. However, I know that it can be much easier said than done, and is even something I have struggled with. But change shouldn’t be feared and it will always be difficult navigating, but it is more than likely to be completely worth it in the end.
Personally my struggle with change has been always wondering if I picked the right thing to pursue. Was university the right first step? Should I have worked for a year instead? Was going into a Masters better than nursing school? What will I do after it’s all over? Will I be closer to my goals? These are all questions that I struggled with after high school and still ask myself, but what keeps me going is knowing that if I don’t enjoy it or if something else peaks my interest I can always see where those interests lead and that it is okay to open myself to change.
So don’t be discouraged if your next steps seem unclear, take your time to do some research, follow your little interests and most of all don’t be afraid to change your mind. Lastly, I would say there is someone you can always turn to during times of uncertainty and He is as easy to reach as “Dear Lord”. When I’ve felt overwhelmed with the unknown or by making an important decision I try to rest my worries in prayer and ask for peace, which never fails to calm my heart. We are all called to great things so trust in the Lord with all your heart and know YOU ARE ENOUGH no matter what comes your way. To the girl who might not know what’s next it will all be okay in time, take it from a girl whose still trying to figure it out herself.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or for resources on where you can go to find out about all your incredible options, go forth and live with love.
Shae is 23 years old and is currently completing a Masters degree in Immunology. She is living from home on an acreage where she gets to take care of many different animals including horses, chickens and her favourite peacocks. In her spare time Shae loves to play baseball, ukulele, video games and taking care of all her animals. She loves meeting new people and is always up for new friends and adventures, especially if the mountains or a beach is involved.
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