Choices have to be made each and every day. Big or small, these choices affect our futures in some way, even if its “Do I buy this?”. Some choices are of course more important than others, and sometimes it’s hard to decide. Schools everywhere are giving their students a choice, and its a pretty big one. From the age of 13, students are now being made to make one of the most important decisions of their young lives. Their GCSE options. Although it is beneficial that teachers are allowing students to choose their options and have a long GCSE process, this decision will affect them for their whole lives, starting from the subjects they want to do.
Being in year 10, I am already thinking about University options, and I'm sure many other students of my age are too. The pressure we are now putting on ourselves to choose and plan our lives is increasing as we are nearing our GCSE exams. Every decision is dependant on another. Our GCSE options affect our A-level options. Our A level options affect our University placements, and so on. Year 8 students should at least be made aware of the importance of their options, and what it may mean in the future. How are we letting Year 8 students decide their futures, and how are schools forcing us now to know what we want to do in life?
Its okay not to know yet, its okay to never know what we truly want to do. Adults everywhere are still figuring it out, and that is the way it will always be. Of course, we need to start thinking about it, and we can't ignore the inevitable, but we need to stop living in the “what if’s” of life and stop planning our whole futures. Things go wrong. Plans change. Nothing is set in stone, merely in the clay mould we make for ourselves. This will never change, so don't worry. Don’t sit back and wait for something to happen one day, Strive to be your best every day, and good will come out of it.
by Mia-Rose Gillison
CHSG
