One of the biggest misconceptions students carry into university is the idea that choosing a course means choosing the rest of their life. It sounds logical, but it’s rarely how real life works. Many students apply for courses thinking, “If I study this, I will become that.” Then a year or two in, they realize the connection isn’t as direct as they imagined. Not because they failed, but because careers are shaped by more than what’s written on a degree certificate. A course gives you exposure, skills, and a way of thinking. A career, on the other hand, grows through experience, interests, opportunities, and sometimes unexpected turns. I’ve seen students study one thing and work in a related but different field. I’ve also seen people switch directions entirely after discovering what they enjoy or where opportunities actually exist. This doesn’t mean they wasted time. It means they learned. The pressure comes when students believe they must “get it right” the first time. That belief makes people choose courses out of fear rather than curiosity. Fear of disappointing parents. Fear of wasting grades. Fear of looking like they’re going backwards. In reality, very few people end up exactly where they thought they would at 18. What matters more than the name of the course is what you do with the time you’re in it. The skills you build. The networks you form. The clarity you gain about what fits you and what doesn’t. So when thinking about courses, it helps to shift the question slightly. Instead of asking, “What career will this lock me into?” ask, “What will this course allow me to learn, explore, and grow into?” That mindset gives you room to adapt, rather than trapping you in a decision made under pressure. If you’re comfortable sharing, what course are you considering right now, and what career do you think it leads to? Let’s talk...

One of the biggest misconceptions students carry into university is the idea that choosing a course means choosing the rest of their life. It sounds logical, but it’s rarely how real life works. Many students apply for courses thinking, “If I study this, I will become that.” Then a year or two in, they realize the connection isn’t as direct as they imagined. Not because they failed, but because careers are shaped by more than what’s written on a degree certificate. A course gives you exposure, skills, and a way of thinking. A career, on the other hand, grows through experience, interests, opportunities, and sometimes unexpected turns. I’ve seen students study one thing and work in a related but different field. I’ve also seen people switch directions entirely after discovering what they enjoy or where opportunities actually exist. This doesn’t mean they wasted time. It means they learned. The pressure comes when students believe they must “get it right” the first time. That belief makes people choose courses out of fear rather than curiosity. Fear of disappointing parents. Fear of wasting grades. Fear of looking like they’re going backwards. In reality, very few people end up exactly where they thought they would at 18. What matters more than the name of the course is what you do with the time you’re in it. The skills you build. The networks you form. The clarity you gain about what fits you and what doesn’t. So when thinking about courses, it helps to shift the question slightly. Instead of asking, “What career will this lock me into?” ask, “What will this course allow me to learn, explore, and grow into?” That mindset gives you room to adapt, rather than trapping you in a decision made under pressure. If you’re comfortable sharing, what course are you considering right now, and what career do you think it leads to? Let’s talk...