Things you'd tell your 16 year old self...

Maelwys

1) Nobody will care much about your exam results, including you, as long as you get into the University course you want.
2) Coming out of your shell a little more won't hurt.
3) Take the Gap Year.

I was always a bit of a stickler for spending within my means even in school and college, and had no real income to invest until well after college... so short of slipping myself a few winning lottery numbers I can't think of much Financial advice that'd be appropriate...

colsten

1. your parents and grandparents aren't always wrong when you are more than 12 years old
2. start asking yourself where you want to be in 5 years time (keep asking as you get older)
3. aspire to a great education, whether uni or apprenticeship. Gap years are for when you have finished your education, not instead of education

gadgetmind

colsten wrote: »

Gap years are for when you have finished your education, not instead of education

Well, quite.

Some of my top guys (I'd love some to be gals, but we work with what we get!) have done placement years with us, then come back to work for us during the summer of the next year. and we then nearly always make them a job offer for after their final year.

Yes, they could have done back-packing and bar work instead, but we certainly wouldn't be so keen to offer them a job.

Maelwys

The definition of "Gap Year" can differ I suppose.

When i was applying to Uni, I had a choice between two courses: one at University A for 3 years... and another at University B for 4 years, but the 3rd year was a placement year. The courses were basically equivalent aside from the Placement year.

I took Option B, and worked for just over 12 months at a big multinational which had the effect of looking very good on my CV and padding my bank balance, as well as completely putting me off the idea of working for a big corporation ever again.

After that 4 year University course was finished, I took a more conventional "Gap Year" which consisted of doing a short-course at a local college and doing volunteer work for a charity, followed by a spot of job-hunting at around the 9-month mark. I could have gone back to the Corporation for a decent wage, but I had stacks more fun doing the Gap Year. And part of the whole student experience is figuring out what you actually WANT to do with your life... at least for the next few years or so!

gadgetmind

Maelwys wrote: »

And part of the whole student experience is figuring out what you actually WANT to do with your life... at least for the next few years or so!

I did the job thing before and during uni so wanted no truck with it afterwards. I've therefore never had a job interview worthy of the name but am now in senior management of a FTSE listed technology company. Please do *not* ask how that happened!

Nocto

1, You’ll never get another chance of a free university education, so don’t drop out!

2, Don’t waste money on expensive cars.

3, Write these numbers down and keep them safe… 11 17 21 29 30 40 They are the winning numbers for the National Lottery on the 3rd of December 1994. The jackpot is 6.9 million pounds, and you’ll be the only winner...:T

If you lose those numbers, then write a book with either vampires or wizards in it!

Doshwaster

1. Don't spend time trying to understand girls, you never will but you really should have made more effort with Rachel and wasted less time on others. She was the one.
2. Never buy a French car. Or an Italian one.
3. At least once in the next 30 years tell your dad that you love him before it's too late.

missyrichards

Don't bother going to uni, leave home and get a job with a good pension scheme and buy a house in the nicest part of London that you can afford!

Onawingandaprayer

Don't play with your Dinky Toys. Don't even take them out of their boxes. They'll pay for your first house... (although maybe Dinky Toys for a 16 year old might be a bit soft!)

gadgetmind

missyrichards wrote: »

Don't bother going to uni, leave home and get a job

Rightly or wrongly, many employers won't even consider anyone without a degree.