BUAS BLEND NOV ‘ 21
Studying … But for what ?
How to find purpose in a world of unlimited possibilities
Choosing a profession has always been a bit of a touchy subject for me . Deciding what you ’ re going to spend most of your waking hours on for the rest of your life sounds as scary as decisions can get . Surprisingly , when I ask my friends what career they want to pursue after university , they often say something like : ” Well , I haven ’ t really figured that out yet ”. I say surprisingly because before I started this chapter of my life in Breda , I had this notion in my head that most people who study have at least somewhat of an idea of what they want to do with their lives . Oh , how naive I was .
And , I mean , that makes total sense ! In our modern world , where opportunities are abundant and businesses evolve in the blink of an eye , there is an overwhelming number of paths to choose from . We are herded through high school with the expectation that “ you ’ ve had enough time to think it over ” by the end of it . How is a teenager with little to no life experience supposed to make such a massive decision ?
Don ’ t get me wrong , some people make that choice fairly quickly , or it is made for them . Maybe you ’ ve always had a talent or interest that you are incredibly passionate about , or certain connections opened doors that make your path seem cut out for you . And of course , there are the less fortunate , who are forced into a line of work because of dire circumstances : Financial , political , or otherwise . But for others like me , even the thought of locking in a career path causes anxiety .
Well , it used to at least . Because while I still don ’ t have a perfectly clear vision of my ideal future ( and let ’ s be honest , you ’ ll never know what might happen ), I have managed to narrow my search down quite a bit . I mean , two years of study fees got to go towards something , right ? So even though I ’ m in no way a self-help-guru ( thank God ), I ’ m going to share some tips with you that have helped me in my journey . Who knows , they just might give you a push in the right direction , if you are struggling with finding your way and ultimately a purpose .
1 . Give yourself some space
Ambition and a disciplined work ethic are important , but they can lead to pitfalls like burnout if you forget to be kind to your mind . If you ’ re constantly running through life , it can be all too easy to lose touch with the little things that bring you joy . So take time to recharge , make mistakes , and experiment as much as your busy schedules allow you to – it ’ s essential in order to stay balanced .
And speaking of experimentation , if university is not the time to do so , then when is it ? I sometimes find myself so busy with school assignments , that I forget to cherish the freedom I ’ m given here . Where else do I get the opportunity to learn and try out all kinds of different subjects , make friends with people from around the globe , party all night , and then do it all again the next day ?
Oh , and before I forget , here ’ s a hot tip : Build a meditation habit . It ’ ll change your life , trust me . Amongst clearing your head of all the built-up stress , this skill has the power to give you perspective on what ’ s truly important in your life - if you ’ re consistent about it .
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