By Claire Hines, Year 11
Making decisions about the future has always been a source of concern for students. Before adolescence, everyone has a hazy idea about what they want to do when they’re older. A five-year-old boy will tell you proudly that he wants to be a fireman later, or a policeman. Unfortunately for teenagers, by high school things start to blur. Now that the time has come or us to make choices, we’re not so sure. We begin to ask ourselves: what do I really want to become? What university should I go to? And we either have no ideas, or far too many.
For the entirety of Year 11, the time has come to decide what subjects to take for the International Baccalaureate. Obviously, it’s important to choose classes you enjoy and do well in, but we are also told that it really depends on what you want to do later in life, both at university, and in the professional world. That is of course true, as the subjects that we do for the I.B. will invariably affect our university applications and future studies. But, when you are not sure what those studies will be, what do you do?
According to the blog College Marker,
“In the course of life, there will be many instances where you will be at cross roads. Meaning, that you will be at a junction where you have many options before you. Each option may be very different from the other. The decision to opt for one particular option over the other may alter your future prospects for life. Therefore, learning decision-making skills for students is of utmost importance.”
https://collegemarker.com/blogs/importance-of-decision-making-skills-for-students/
The idea of “many options”, does of course have an even greater meaning today. Due to the growing importance of the internet in our everyday lives, we are constantly made aware of new information due to mass communication. Our generation has greater access to more information than ever before, and in consequence we have more options and possibilities at our disposal. Though initially a positive impact of the internet, this does make decision-making, especially about the future, a lot harder as we are not sure where to look, or even what we are looking for.
In my opinion, in order to make a good decision one must think things out carefully first. Never make a decision out of fear or under pressure, as it will invariably be the wrong one. Do not feel pressured into conforming in order to gain the approval of others. By all means, take higher Physics if it’s a subject you enjoy and are good at, but don’t do it just because you want to impress your friends or please your parents. These decisions are about your life, not theirs. No one else can make these choices for you. One way to check if you are making the right decision or not is to imagine yourself doing what you have just decided to do. For instance, I have decided to do higher History, as the idea of learning about the World Wars intrigues me. I’m glad I made this decision, and can see that I will enjoy this IB course. However, if you do not feel at peace with your choice, don’t do it, or else you will be stuck taking that class for the next two years of your life.
Another way to help make decisions is to ask the people around you for their opinions. Listen to their advice, and listen to different points of view to be sure that you have considered all of the advantages and disadvantages of your choices. Even if you are not sure what you want to do later, that is perfectly okay. You don’t have to have a fixed and detailed plan for the next five years. Just focus on what you are good at and what you enjoy. What would you like to do later on? Whatever it is, be sure it is something you enjoy, and look forward to doing. If you find pleasure in sketching and painting go towards Art studies and take it from there. If you adore animals, Biology might be a place to start. If Spanish classes are what you look forward to, why not consider a university in Spain? Base your choices on what you want and enjoy. If you want to do something, go ahead, there’s only one way to find out…
