In 2013, I graduated from high school, but like most students from Cameroon, I had yet to determine what I wanted to study. So, I went on to take professional entrance examinations for the country’s finest institutes, all of which were focused on completely unique professions, one being medicine, the other engineering, civil engineering, law, and so on. The idea was whichever exam turned out successful, I would go on to study whatever that institute had to offer. I just tried out every option and hoped for the best.
All this ended in disaster. Although I actually entered one of the institutes, I soon realized that it wasn’t the right place for me, and dropped out. I felt completely lost and desperately needed advice about my career options. So, I decided to visit an educational counselor at a library. Her words still remain in me: “Life is short for you to make the wrong choices in a haste. Just make sure to follow your passion.” In that library, I collected information and started to prepare for studying abroad. With her guidance and every effort I put in, I ended up winning a fully-funded scholarship to study medicine outside of my home country for the entire duration of the course. It took me a year after graduating from high school to realize what was best for me and get this scholarship.
I believe that every student should study what they really find passion in. I believe that no student should have to go through what I went through before realizing exactly what they really want. Now I am studying abroad, but I return home yearly and visit many high schools right about the time their students are about to graduate. This is to let them know they have many educational services at their disposal to help them smoothly transition from high school into a university of their choice. In the long- run, I’m looking at advocating for educational counselors in all high schools so that every student can find their own successful way of approaching life after high school.
The only way we can help the development of our nation, continent, and world is if every citizen actually transitions into the working population, doing what they love best, not what they’re being forced to do. This is how we will keep moving forward for the better. This is the world I want to create.
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