Nuggets of Wisdom #10

Many of us, including myself, were fooled into thinking higher education would take us to higher places in the world. Don't get me wrong, there are many professions out there where it's a necessity to have formal education, and that's fine. But college/university should not be the normal route for young people. It should be a choice they make - without pressure from outside forces - and that they will live with that choice. If you are like me, you got your degree with the false hope that doors will open for you; that your hard work and your distinction will make employers fight over you. How wrong we were!

When I finished university, I was excited about the opportunities that awaited me. With enthusiasm and conviction that I was what potential employers needed, I filled application after application, and attended interview after interview. In fact, I became so good at interviews, I would go in and end up interviewing the interviewee! Within a few short months, I realized that the world wasn't my oyster, and that despite graduating from one of the best fashion institutes in the world, the options available to me weren't that of a designer or assistant designer, but of 'assistant' aka coffee maker. I had spent a lot of money on a degree as well as blood, sweat and tears, and all the world could only offer me was to start from the bottom? I was furious. If I could turn back the time, I would've never spent a day at university, although I did enjoy my time there. The way I see it, I could've spent the three years and the money building my own business so I could be in a position to hire graduates. This is why today's nugget of wisdom is a reminder that we can acquire knowledge without needing a piece of paper or an institution. When you reject formal education, you find the world as your teacher.

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