Its 'graduation' time again back in my home country. It is during these times that all people, from all walks of life, have at least something to look forward to.
Parents are excited (maybe alarmed) by their kids graduating. Knowing that they are now either going for higher learning or become part of the jobless circle. Either way, I'm sure they have mixed expectations lingering on their heads.
Graduates are excited (maybe alarmed too) of what the future is in store for them. No matter what the result of their years of learning, its back to facing real world scenario. A scenario where equations become harder to equate to actual real world situations. Theories in books are in fact ideas formulated in the crucible of the cranium or in the comforts of the lab. Skills in handling a conflict situation is in fact as age old as handling a street fight. Scientific approach are well, remains to be purely scientific. That the distance between two points is not really a straight line in the real world.
I often stumble upon people with so much potential in their 4 or 5 year academic journey that they end up disgruntled, demotivated, tired, too theoretical, cynic even.
The cure? More exposure to practical real world problems early on. Such as house chores! Fixing a broken plumbing teaches one the basics of hydraulics. Ironing clothes could be framed to a materials engineering exposure, fabric vs cotton atomic strength. Washing the dishes reminds people of geography (enviro engg) and the chemistry of water/solid objects. Cooking food humbles one about molecular structure of the ingredients, and how the scent is simply a simplified organic chemistry in action.
There is so much to offer in life by just being observant. And that to me is the secret to success, and that there is no secret really. We are all given 5 senses to use. Use it or lose it!
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