Success after school hasn’t been automatic for many students. The problem isn’t in the lack of jobs but in their inability to apply what they learned in school in real life settings. To do this, one needs a plan. There has to be a deliberate choice to make things happen since they won’t just happen! After graduating from Engineering School, it was unfortunate that some of my colleagues and I could only look for jobs. Like many graduates, we didn’t apply the skills and knowledge we had earned from school to profit ourselves. Life had to teach us in not so friendly way to adjust.
To succeed in life, commitment is required. We must be deliberate about doing the things we love passionately and allocate time for them. This paradigm shift is a must for all students seeking to make a difference in our world today. I have come to learn THREE important habits that can help one bridge what they learned in class with practical work. They may not be exhaustive but are useful in getting someone towards the right direction. You can become whatever you want to in life if you follow them:
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ONE – Be a Forward Thinker
One thing, for sure, that every learner needs to have is the ability to think forward and build networks throughout their journey. It is not enough to excel in class. To make a difference, students need to be forward thinkers and start matching their studies with real life situations from an early age. It profits a lot to have such a mindset.
For all students out there, “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” – J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit). Dealing with your fears early enough and building the confidence you need in your career is good for your personal and professional growth and development. Therefore, choose what you need and get rid of what is unnecessary if you are to be successful after school.
There are a lot of live dragons to content with on all fronts. They include academics, relationships, career plans and so on. All that a learner needs is to position themselves for opportunities by dealing with these dragons. Therefore, it is important for every student to come up with a strategy on how they will excel in their academics, work on their career plan, engage the corporate world and prepare for the job market among other things.
TWO – Prepare for Adulthood
Thinking like an adult or moving towards it gives students a good standing after school. This has to do with taking responsibility for every action in their day-to-day life. For that reason, students who have been keen to understand they are soon becoming independent of their parents or guardians will begin to see things differently. They will get to know that it is not enough to excel in their theoretical work. A responsible adult looks through a matter to see how they will profit from it. In a similar manner, students must look for ways to apply what they are learning even before leaving school.
THREE- Build Relationships and Networks
A good student looks up to those who have gone ahead of them and listens carefully to what others in their field are doing. Therefore, it is important to build relationships with faculty members, teachers and professionals in a student’s field of interest. However, it shouldn’t only be a case of “What’s in for me?” – Great relationships have everyone bringing in contribution of some sort. No one wants to keep the company of a “parasite”. People get to open more and more to you if you are doing your part and helping out with something of interest between the parties.
Relationships and networks help you find opportunities that you would otherwise have missed – A good reason why we are here on LinkedIn. Again, it is easy to get recommendations either for scholarships or for jobs. In that case, students need to talk to people, make friends, share their goals and ambitions among other things. This will open doors to success in what you do.
Final Thoughts
Strategy is key for students who want to succeed after school. Therefore, certain habits must be formed to make one successful in life. They must be willing to think ahead, move towards adulthood and build relationships in the course of their learning.
What other ways can students bridge theory and practice? Let’s hear them as well…
Nicodemus Mutinda is a mass communication and expert, actor and an adept researcher, with interests in film and theatre production, business and marketing.
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