Society has engraved into the youth’s minds at very young ages that a person has to pass matric, go to university then get a well-paying job – in that order. This causes confusion and uncertainties for those who don’t really want to do what everyone around them expects them to do. Here are a few solutions to problems young people face after matric:
By: Thiofhi Lambani
Not sure what to study?
At the age of 18, nobody expects you to have it all figured out in terms of what you want to study or career path to follow, so don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to ask around before you start applying. Search online, read about different careers and also ask people around you to decide on the career that will match your personality. Don’t study something because your parents insist you do or you want to copy friends’ choices. If you can’t stand being in the hospital for a few hours, how are you going to be a doctor?
Not meeting minimum requirements?
The minimum requirements are not set to make it difficult for you to get into university; they are set so that only the students who would cope with the difficulty of that course can get in. If you do not meet these requirements, you are probably looking at the wrong career path and you should look for a course for which you meet the minimum requirements. You will not pass science and maths in varsity if you have been failing it throughout high school.
Failed major subjects?
Don’t be ashamed to ‘sup’ or rewrite if you have failed some of your major subjects. Most students end up settling for courses they don’t like, just because they couldn’t get in for the one they had applied for after having failed their majors. If you have failed matric and have no exception, don’t be too proud to go back into class and repeat your grade 12 – think about your future before you think about what people will say.
Gap Year
Matric is a very tough year and if you feel very drained after all the hard work, it is advisable to take a gap year – even if you passed really well. Take the year to think carefully about what you really want to study; you can either find a job, travel the world or do some community work, then when you have decided what you want to study and where, start with your application process.
