Choosing on A Whim

This is something I found that I wrote nearly two years ago, after the 10th grade ICSE exams.

It's over. After all the struggles and the hours spent studying, the endless phone calls and the stress over questions, freedom is finally here. I have finished the so called "biggest exam of my life so far", and it doesn't feel particularly liberating. More than anything, I feel sad at the way the system works, how everything is based on this one exam and it determines your future. I am moving to Singapore, so I won't have to choose, but the people that need to make that final decision between arts, sciences and commerce, I feel bad for you. You're screwed. Is it possible to choose what you want to do now, on the basis of one exam? I hope not. If I did have to make the decision, I don't know what I would do. It seems to me that too many people will choose science, not because the like physics or chemistry or biology, but because they are desperate to do engineering or medicine, then ring in a fat paycheck. For commerce, too, it seems quite doubtful that every single one of those students wants to work on accounts, commercial studies and math for the rest of their lives without any exposure to other subjects or fields. And as always, the people with the lowest scores will choose arts, because it is perceived as low earning. If they opened their eyes and looked, most people that enjoy reading or designing or drawing would see that they don't have to be limited by that percentage, the perception that the only jobs worth having are doctor, engineer, or corporate, then they would do far better. Perhaps the wisest are those choosing to do the IB or moving abroad, because at least, before they choose their final course of study, they can explore for a few more years, look at what options there are, see what they find most interesting and then do what they actually enjoy. Forgive me for being impractical or unrealistic, but I'd rather have a smaller house and enjoy every day of my job than slog at something I don't like just to be able to afford that Mercedes.