The pressures on young adults today

It's that time of year where GCSE's and A-Level exams are looming. I did my A-Level exams last year and I know all too well how much pressure young adults are under.

I find now-a-days there is a huge amount of pressure on young adults to know exactly what they want to do with their lives. I have never known what path I want to take my life down or what career I want to venture into (and I still don't!). I feel like a lot of time at Sixth Form was based around finding the correct University degree for you and acing exams - which is not ideal for a student who does no intend on further education. I always enjoyed going to school, seeing my friends and learning when I was in the lower years but I found Sixth Form drained the energy out of my and I detested it. Not every student that wants to continue education after GCSEs wants to go to university - some are just want to continue learning and gain more qualifications before joining the world of work or taking a gap year. 

I remember the way I felt during my time at Sixth Form. The thought of the future was very daunting and made me anxious. The pressure put on me by teachers and by myself stressed me out and was truly overwhelming.

During my time at Sixth Form there were days that I would panic because I felt I was the only one who didn't know where my life was taking me. I would always turn to my parents at times like this and they would reassure me that everything would be okay. I know it seems easier said than done but there is always another option. In the last weeks of school I still didn't have a full-time job lined up for me and I was beginning to panic. That is when I heard about the Cabin Crew job I now work and I applied because I had nothing to lose. Sometimes in life things work out - some call it fate, others luck - but either way I couldn't be happier.


So some final words of advice from me

• Talk to someone if you are feeling down - my parents are great, but if yours aren't as understanding try talking to other relatives or friends that may be going through the same thing.
• Remind yourself that you don't have to do what everyone else is doing - just because your friends want to go to university and people 'expect' you to go, you don't have to. If you don't feel ready to move to the UK and go to university don't. It is your life.
• You do not have to know what you want to do with your life just yet - you are still young. If you are in Sixth Form you are only 17/18 years old - you have your whole life ahead of you! I know it can be scary not having a plan but sometimes you need to roll with the punches and enjoy life.
• Take life one step at a time. I have always been a person that thinks about my future and I like to plan everything in advance but sometimes you realise you need to live life in the moment and stop worrying about the future.
• Try your absolute hardest! Take time to revise, you are not missing out on anything - It is only a couple of months of your life you need to work your butt off then you can say you did your best. If you try your best in all of your exams then your relatives, teachers and friends should be very proud of you. Make yourself proud.
• If you try your best and you don't succeed, try and try again - If you don't get the results you are hoping for, just remember, there are always other options. There will always be another way to get to where you want to go whether that is retaking exams or gaining work experience and working your way up.

So live life for now. Don't panic about the future. Do what makes you happy and stop trying to please everyone else.

Best of luck to all of those taking exams and just think, this time in a few months it will be all over with!