While I am practicing to be more self-aware of my emotions, I reflected on the events in my life, and I discovered a lie I’ve heard for a long time.
For a long time, we’ve been told a simple lie:
The Academia Path📚: Slows down your development and makes you prone to a life crisis.
The Practical Path (Work)🗃: Accelerates your socialization and helps you find your “direction.”
That is to say if you choose work, you are “safe” from the existential dread that scholars face. But this is a trap.
Two weeks ago, I spoke with an alumna of my UNV program.Two weeks ago, I talked to an alumnus of my UNV🇺🇳 program in Hong Kong.
Despite our conversation lasted for 50 minutes only, her honest sharing was enough stress me out.
Our only intersection was the program I joined. Unlike me, she was graduated from a competitive university and had been working for UNFPA for a year. Also, she won the Chevening scholarship. And her secondary school gives her the greatest networking opportunities in Hong Kong.
Now, at 31, she’s a senior officer at an INGO.
During our conversation, although she didn’t always express herself clearly, her answers were very honest.
“Do you like your job?” I asked.
“I just do the work,” she said.
Then I asked another question.
“If you were financially independent, would you stay in your current position? “
“How can I achieve financial independence? I have to work for so many years! I can’t achieve financial freedom. If I am financially independent, I can do things I want. “
“Have you found your direction→?”, I asked.
When I asked about her direction, she said, “I’m still exploring. I’m not that old!”
I had to laugh. 😂
Even though I am not sure whether I will meet her again, she gave me a valuable lesson💎.
I don’t want to play her game at her age…A life without passion and financial stability. If I don’t want to play the same game, I have to make different decisions.
At the same time, she also proves that degrees from great schools and brilliant working experience can’t guarantee a satisfying life.
When I shared this story with another friend, who is the same age of the alumna, she said she feels the same. But she just got her PHD.
It is clear that a PhD and work experience cannot give you a sense of stability in life. And if there is no stability in life, then why do we need to worry about it?
Feel free to drop your comment below to share your thoughts and opinions!😄
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