What happens after university ?

Arlinda Ismaili
Mar 4, 2017
3 min read

We spend a third of our lives studying. Then when all the studying is completed, we come out of university with a massive dept and still struggle to find a job.

The real question is does a degree lead to success? Does a degree really make us knowledgeable about the world? Does it lead us towards our desired job? - Not Necessarily.

This is a route most of us tend to follow as it has often been pressured by the society, however a lot of people seem to get lost on the way. Having the right education has it's perks however it's just a process towards knowledge, but it is not always the right gateway towards your desired career. Throughout our academic years, we are usually asked to solve theoretical problems that tend to have one specific outcome; in reality most problems tend to be much more complicated and usually consist in more than one way out. For example, some individuals tend to rotionalise in a more creative than academic manner. Having the ability to think different is not necessarily mean you are are wrong. It's often the people that have not been moulded by the society that tend to be the most successful entrepreneurs.

I followed the same path, by attending university and coming out with two degrees. which are by far some of my greatest accomplishments. My certificates acted as passports and they were recognised amongst all business industries.

These were meant to be my first steps towards a successful career, yet after finishing my BA and a Masters- 'successful' was the last thing I felt.

I really struggled to find a job, as I began to realise that work experience was much more valued than the degree certificates I held in my hands. I was several years behind in comparison to those who did not attend university. Interviews made me extremely nervous and I often failed to portray my true potentials.

My university degree taught me a set of predefined rules and regulation, however it did not teach me how to think, interact or solve problems. I was not prepared for the harsh reality and I still shy away when faced with responsibility. On the other hand, university did impact my self potential and it helped me realise that marketing was a field I wanted to specialize and pursue in the future.

Throughout my journey I learned that whilst knowledge and education are seen as synonyms, they have a borderline difference between them. Education can grow with ages - from the moment a child learn to count, read and write, whilst knowledge grown with experience.

A lot of today's well known entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates did not attend university. So the next question might be, what made them so successful ?

The answer is simple - Passion !! Do what you love and be the best at it. There is no degree in passion.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Mahatma Gandhi

In developing countries children are less fortune and in regards to education, a lot of them spend hours traveling to reach their school. These children are a prime example of true knowledge, of wanting to know everything they possibly could about the world. They are not moulded and patterned to fit into the narrow and particular needs of the society. These children simply want to learn and most of them simply can't.

In other parts of the worlds, a lot of young adults take such opportunities for granted and rely on their families or governmental schemes to determine their futures.

For me, the key to a happy career is knowing what you want to do and making a decision for yourself. To do things your own way, even if that does not always seem like the best choice. As long as you have faith, there is never one way to achieving your goals.

Nevertheless, school and university were some of the most exiting experiences of my life. Whilst theory taught me literacy and numeracy. The overall experience taught me much more valuable lessons;

- I learned how to interact with different people and learn about different cultures

- I managed how to maintain my own bills and finances

- Learned how to cook, clean and look after myself

- I joined societies and allowed me to give something back to the community. In university I joined Watersports, the GuideDog society and volunteered for 'Garden Organic'.

- I learned how to communicate work and work in a team environment

- I was always faced with deadlines and this taught me how to balance and prioritise all my activities

- I managed to network and expand my friendship groups

I do not regret anything and I would never trade this experience. I am exactly where I want to be.