Twenty years ago—yes, 20!—I started a Bachelor of Arts at The University of Queensland and now, in 2014, I’m back studying my fourth degree. Regrettably no TARDIS or time-machine DeLorean have been invented yet so I’ll use Facebook instead to pass on the advice I would like my 1994 self to know. Dear Lou, This is a message from the future as told by your older self. I know you love being on campus in 1994 and I have advice for you of how to make it even better. Learn business acumen: the zeitgeist of 1994 university students was to find salaried employment with a large employer or the government as well as listening to a small garage band called Powderfinger. Now, in 2014, I see graduates who need support for applying for graduate jobs. I work freelance and manage my own business. I did everything I could in 1994 to avoid business management, accounting and financial management subjects. I then spent the next twenty years avoiding accounting and financial management in my work and yet all my career opportunities needed this knowledge. Promotions for leadership and management positions require knowledge and understanding of business management. Don’t be afraid to learn about this. Study these as electives. Don’t be afraid to work for a small business. Find a mentor to encourage you to set up your own business. Where no obvious opportunities exist, create your own: Recently, I couldn’t find a subject that covered a subject area I wanted. Rather than moan and then enroll in another subject I had no interest in, I approached a company about creating an internship so I could get hands-on experience in this subject area. Don’t wait to be assigned a workplace for a work-integrated learning subject: find your own. If work-integrated learning subjects are optional, enroll. Any experience you can gain on-the-job is essential. Work-integrated learning wasn’t an option in 1994. So seek paid opportunities by canvasing companies for vacation work and casual positions to learn on-the-job. Work overseas: I lied. I have one regret and it is this: I never worked overseas. I met a wonderful boy and we settled down with opportunities in Brisbane and of that, I have no regrets whatsoever. But I regret being afraid of packing my bags, taking my man with me and seeing what the world had to offer us. We had several professional opportunities to work in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Canada and we denied ourselves the chance for these opportunities. Now, don’t question me with your 18-year-old, bullet-proof-take-on-the-world-from-Brisbane attitude—seize all opportunities to work and travel overseas. Persevere to learn a second language; doing so will let you see the world through a different lens. I assure you: Brisbane will be here when you are ready to return and you will be rewarded in your career for taking a chance on the world. Do more in your spare time: Seriously, you are 18 and you think you’re terribly busy with a part-time job and 12 contact hours a week. Puhhhleeease. Have a kid. You don’t know what busy is until you have a child, and manage a household and a business. So get off your rear end and do things. This is the time of your life when you have all the time in the world and the health and energy to do something with it. Especially sport. Play something. Anything, as physical activity will make you smarter; scientists have proved this twenty years later. Join networks. Create one if they don’t exist: I know you are loving being alone at uni. Not lonely, but alone. High school felt stuffy; you were crammed in like sardines in a tin. Coming to uni meant you could breathe and learn what you want when you want on your own schedule. You can’t exchange ideas with others if you are alone. Join clubs, societies and form networks. Take on leadership positions and organise events at which people can meet and learn from each other. There will be people you meet who inspire you and you will stay in contact longer than anyone from high school. Study more journalism: You enrolled in a journalism subject for a bit of fun as an elective. Take more. Do a double degree. Your older self in 2014 is now writing and editing for a living and is a community correspondent for 612ABC Brisbane radio. You did work experience in Year 11 as a journalist and your love of writing never went away. Follow this passion. Most of all, don’t forget your dreams: Keep writing. That novel you started when you were 17 is still unfinished in 2014 and yet you keep coming back to those words. You will write another novel and have ideas for another three on the go. Learn the rules of grammar. And then take delight in breaking them. Writing excites and empowers you. Every day, write some more. The bravest thing you will do is share your writing with your friends. Don’t be afraid: they are your champions and cheerleaders. And they will want signed copies of your bestselling novel. Listen to their feedback and ideas; your writing will be better for it. And last of all, drink coffee. What a wonderful drink. Don’t delay: imbibe a quality espresso now. Regards, cheers and careers, Older Lou
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 09:17:46 +0000