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kerri's avatar

Hello Jessica! was it really ten years ago that we were on a skype call talking about launching dreams? amazing to see the miles you have traveled since that call.

Yes. to both. Blending following interests with navigating cut and dry human constructed, often hierarchical, systems. (yeah university has not changed much and the hoop jumping is real)

This will involve some risk and some creativity. I didn't have much of either when I was 18.

My parenting manifesto: grow curious engaged explorers.

on my window shelf: "follow your interests" and "raise your standards for who and what you allow in your life"

My oldest is finishing his grade 12 year. Instead of going to his convocation (despite that I even had my hair done), he competed in a regional track and field meet. Instead of prom, he followed his dream to run his first marathon. Goals of his own choosing have added meaning and purpose to his day to day life.

We were able to combine traditional schooling in the morning, with sports school in the afternoon. It was a game changer. After too many years sitting all day in a traditional classroom, he sparked to life. We're getting better at a societal level in offering these opportunities. They are, however, limited.

Follow your interests. This shouldn't be so hard. And not just for young adults, but for all adults. Imagine a world full of curious engaged explorers?

There seems to be a prevailing ideology that people are inherently lazy, that without "jobs" and "bosses" we would all binge watch Netflix while devouring Costco size bags of potato chips. (I may be enticed to do this for a day or two). That brute discipline or force matters more than inspiration and choice. I disagree. I think that most healthy (and there's the crux...healthy) humans are wired to contribute, learn, accomplish and embrace challenge. What do you think?

As for careers. IMHO the number one factor that determines job satisfaction is not so much What you do, but the working conditions while you're doing it and that's harder to predict at 18... but that's a whole other conversation.

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Christine Shea's avatar

Lots of thoughts on this. I think it really depends on what the students end goal is …. And how to get there in the most financially prudent way.

If the student is looking to get Done and have a job waiting for them by Christmas senior year then the intern ship path is probably the way to go. If they don’t really know what they want to do I think trying a lot of different classes is great however that could involve taking extra courses each semester, which might be too much for them, or extending their time at school,which would be financially difficult. If haveing a job waiting for them by Christmas senior year than the internship path is probably the way to go. If they don’t really know what they want to do I think trying a lot of different classes is great however that could involve taking extra courses each semester, which might be too much for them, or extending their time at school, which could be financially an issue.

My first child did a traditional Big Ten college four years, but did no internship, but still had a job waiting for him before he graduated.

Second child knew exactly what she wanted and didn’t feel she would get it in the United States so she went to college in the UK. She came home during Covid and finished in the United States unfortunately. But went right back for graduate school at U. Of Edinburgh —It was streamlined where she only took classes that she was interested in and didn’t have to take Gen Ed’s in things that she did not want to. She gets done school faster and much less money than the United States.. Plus, unless things change drastically in the United States I do not see her returning to the United States.

Child three was not a great fit for traditional colleges, so he went to the college of the Florida Keys, and did a major in diving business and marine technology. It was a mixture of in class and out on the water which worked well for him because he would not be able to sit through five classes, a semester in a classroom.. I really think schools need to stop promoting college as the only way… stop with best school/top schools because there’s so many ways to get to the college finish line. If you can afford financially or time wise to take extra classes in addition to major that excellent if they want to.

And honestly I still think the travel experience tops everything.

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