Peter Hacker, International Masters student, and Educator at Boston City Campus has a lot of experience in dealing with students in Higher education, combined with lessons from his own education journey! Here he gives some solid advice to students in school and in varsity, trying to get through a scary workload, exams and to combat stress.
What are the three important qualities students and graduates must have?
- Perseverance: Perseverance -because the road ahead will never smooth, every person will experience some form of bumps or hiccups. These do not define who you are. However, the manner in which you overcame these challenges will define who you are.
- Motivation / Passion: Successful students and graduates need to be motivated and invested in their qualifications of choice. Some people get “bored” after a certain amount of time spent on a specific subject/profession. When you get “bored,” you inevitably lose interest, which will lead to lower levels of performance and confidence. Therefore, be intrigued and show a willingness to learn, which will motivate your drive to advance.
- No fear of failure: Failure is something we all hate to experience, as some believe that failure defines who we are. This is untrue. Even the largest corporations in the world experience some sort of failure daily. However, this does not slow down their progress. They learn from their mistakes and amend their strategies for the future. The same concept applies to successful graduates. When you fail, donβt think, “I can’t do it,”. Rather learn where you went wrong, and build on your experience.
Advice to Grade 11βs and Grade 12βs who have had battled a year of schooling in a pandemic?
You are about to complete a phase in your educational pursuit. Do not relent. Pursue a higher or further qualification. Strive to gain admission into College to do a degree of your choice. If you do not meet the entry requirements, find out what you need to do to achieve them. Success comes to those who work hard and push through the challenges.
Ask yourself, “Who am I to be, whom am I becoming, who do I want to be?”. This current point in time is YOUR moment to figure out this question.Β As a grade 11 or 12 learner, test yourself against the environments that you are going up against. Do it with passion, and you will find your calling. Invest some time and complete the online Career Compass, an interest assessment tool provided free by Boston, that will tell you which industry you are most suited to. Boston training advisors will help you take that further by advising on the next best step suited to both you, your financial situation, and the entry requirements of the qualification. Boston has shown that success in a qualification soars when you match it appropriately to a personβs interests.
You have overcome challenges – what were they and what did you learn from them that can help others? I have had two tough challenges in my life, which most students can relate to.
The first was the financial standing of myself and my parents. We did not have the financial luxury to support my life choices. However, they gave me life and love. I completed a tough Gap year overseas that helped me save money. I returned home and registered for a Diploma in Business Management at Boston.
The second was crippling anxiety. Β I learned to acknowledge that what I was experiencing was normal, and did not define who I am. It was a challenge that helped grow my mental capacity, and it was temporary. I overcame this challenge by using what worked best FOR ME, which was to achieve personal growth and success. One of the steps that I took was visualizing my future success. This helped me find hope and uplifted my emotional state.
My career goals are defined in my approach to life: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based (SMART). That being said, I would say that my final career goal would be to change people’s lives. Change your life and register at Boston today.
