Hooray!! No more school! School life is over. Happiness mixed with sadness. At the same time you may be feeling anxious about the future. All these mixed feelings are normal when you leave school life.

It is to be expected to feel confused, as you had spent a large part of your life in school with its daily routines and seeing your group of friends daily during school term. Now all is about to change. You are now stepping out into the world almost as an adult. There are many things for you to plan and do; opportunities to take and decisions to make.

Let us discuss some of the things that you have to think about so that you can make informed decisions for your future.

What do you plan to do after school?

Well – meaning relatives and adults may ask you this question. Some of you may have a ready answer as you may have thought about your future plans. Others may not have a clue and will dread hearing this question. Do not despair. Keep calm and try to figure out what you want to do next.

How do I know what I want to do after school?

Some of you would have decided to start looking for a job as you may feel that you need to work and cannot continue your studies. (See / link to looking for job)

However if you have an opportunity it will be good to pursue your studies or go for a vocational training to secure a better future.

If you cannot decide what area of study to pursue here are some tips to help you decide:

• List out all your interests. For example; you like mixing with people, you like languages, you love to write etc.

• Make a list of the things that you dislike too. For example you don’t like mathematics, you dislike being confined to a desk.

• Looking at your list decide on what may the area that you can pursue. If you do not like mathematics, you may not want to consider doing finance or accounting. If you like languages, you may want to pursue studying in linguistics or in communications.

• You may want to talk to some adults or peers who have pursued studies or career in the fields that you are considering. Ask them pertinent questions so that it is clear in your mind what it is all about.

• You can also do research on line on the subjects that interest you and consider the information carefully.

• Discuss with your family or close friends on the areas you are interested in. They may provide you with further insight, as they are the ones who know you best. This would be useful when you make a decision.

Once you have decided what fields of study you want to embark on, you now need to take action so that you can pursue this ambition. Some of the things you could include

• Do research on the options how you could pursue this.

There are many options now. You could take a certificate or diploma in the area. You could also take pre-university courses like Matriculation, A levels, Australian matriculations and others depending on what is your situation.

• You could also go and visit any career and education fairs organized out there throughout the year to have a better idea of your options. At these fairs, you could try out quizzes to assess your potential and inclination to various fields if you are still unsure of what to do.

Do not be afraid to ask questions to the career guidance counselors that are available at these fairs.

• After making a decision on where you want to pursue your studies, the next important step is to implement that decision.

• Take actions to realize your ambition. Fill in the required forms. Apply for funding example PTTPN if necessary.

          Do ask your parents or trusted adults for help, as filling in the forms can be overwhelming.

All the best! May you succeed in whatever you decide to do.

Another phase of life is just beginning.  Enjoy the moment. Look forward to the future.

There is a saying by Joseph Parry: Make new friends, but keep the old; those are silver, these are gold.

Any References or Link that will help eg PTPTN, SPA ?