So what's next ?

Nursery

Primary School

Secondary school

College

University

Masters? ...

In this thing called life, I now have to accept i am kinda grown and i'm at the end of the game where rules still apply but i'm transitioning officially in the "wing it" stage because i truly believe there is no blueprint to gurantee success. So as i continue my job search and hope for one of my plans to stick, I've decided to reflect on the years of exams, studying , friendships and lessons i have learnt.

In total excluding general school exams i have taken 4 Major exams : Npse, bece, igcse, A levels and throw in the 3 years of Manic in Uni with 13 Exams and a dissertation. After all those years, i am now a Medical physiology graduate * claps frantically * .

The education system teaches you how to be a good worker for the current job market. Some may argue that a degree now has less value. Crazy debts and pressure to "drip/die" and the need to be independent are things I am facing. With an ever evolving job market and crazy job requirements needing a degree,10 years experience, a kidney and your first born child it can sometimes seem as soon as you feel you have all the cheat codes to life but then the whole game reshuffles and you are left at square one again.

My education journey till A Levels was all fixated on being a Dr (https://www.thecatalystinme.com/post/dr-or-else ) but after the rejection that i feel changed my life for the better i finally started looking outside the confinements of education. I slowly for the first time started nurturing my intrests and talents. I am a very social person but anxiety and a lot of other things really held me back. In uni I made amazing friends,started my blog,learnt first aid, worked in comminications and started my love for concerts. I just allowed myself to live a little and let life take control instead. Through allowing myself to really jump at most opportunities when anxiety didn't get the best of me i can say i "found myself". My identity was so tightly linked to being "smart" (the pressures of doing well in a few exams 😂) and now I am much more than that. As much as i love learning and education. I cannot memorise information to save my life and that is something i am okay with it. Being a science graduate, quite a lot involves memorising especially when it comes to exams and i understand why but one thing for everyone in uni is to understand you are not completely defined by your grades. Build connections and jump at opportunities that really catch your eye. Never be afraid to put yourself out there. The only things i regret are not actively learning a new language and wishing i took my love for design and visual arts more seriously.

But

DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S AMAZING?

I can still make time for all those things i want to do!!!

When asked the extremly annoying question about " what next" without prematurely announcing my plans, I can say that i will find myself in a field where i am both learning science, serving people and living my best life. I know this doesn't come with all sunny days and I know that there will be really shitty times but i can't be discouraged so early and neither can you. You can't predict what happens in life but you can control your emotions and your reactions towards the occasional ineveitable disappointments.

The bottom line of this blog post is to say; really and truly at whatever stage you are, enjoy the process and learn to live in the moment. With instagram and all these socials, seeing everyone's success can get overwhelming even when you are doing good. You know your journey and you shouldn't let anyone else take away from that. Do that one thing you always wanted to do. You can always get a job that pays bills but your life is to really to do what makes you happy ; so let go of outside noise.