Ahh, it’s been a while since I wrote anything here.. so, what to talk about now? only something that has been bothering me, particularly since the past month.

Undergraduate studies, meaning a Bachelor’s Degree (or Sarjana as it is called in my country) for those who finish determines the future for a lot of people. It is crucial in deciding where you wanna go, what you wanna do for the rest of your life. For most people, after they have finished a Bachelor’s Degree, it means a professional career. Others may take further studies, take it up to the academic path.

But I’m not going to discuss people taking Masters’ and Ph.D and all that, it’s a different story. What I’m going to discuss is the path people choose to take for their professional career, in other words paid work.

So, where do people end up after getting a degree? A multinational company? A government institution or department? an NGO? or do they inherit their parents’ business? or better, start their own business?

Surely, the entire point of getting a degree in a university is so that you are educated and can use the knowledge you got there for whatever you may be doing afterwards. The best way to ensure this is to work according to your qualifications.

For some, professional careers are already pre-determined since university days. For instance, someone studying in Medical School will definitely be a doctor, he or she won’t suddenly end up working in a bank. A similarly pre-determined path are graduates of the Accounting department, Law department, and the Psychology department. These people are almost certain to be auditors, advocates, and psychologists. However, a lot of companies require their services, and similar careers can be pursued. Put simply, people I have said above take degrees which allow them to have professions.

However, there are other courses and sciences which do NOT produce people with professions. This includes myself. People who do not have a profession are bound to be more general in their field of study, and can work in any company or organization which does not require a particular skill if they choose to work in a place that is not according to their qualifications.

People are allowed to choose a university and a course that they desire. It is assumed you take a degree in a university because you want to study that particular science. It is within your interest and capabilities. However, some people do not take a course that they like. They often take it because they have no other choice, or they say at least it’s better than not doing anything at all.

So ideally, when you graduate and start looking for work, you choose a job that suits your qualifications, and it is something that you like to do. Unfortunately, as with the case with taking a degree in the first place, a lot of people have jobs that are not related to what they studied in university. AT ALL.

I’m not going to be a hypocrite, I am one of those examples. But is it right? Is it okay for people to work while their knowledge gained in university is unused?

If it is, then I feel that taking the degree is a waste of time and money. Why would you study something that you are not going to apply at work? But then, comes the explanation, that it doesn’t have to be that way. You can do stuff unrelated to your studies, as long as you enjoy it, and that it is your PASSION.

There is another explanation, that you don’t have a choice, that the available job vacancy at the moment is just that, a job that is not connected to your studies.

Me? I tend to take a bit of both explanations. My job is just a stepping stone to what I can achieve next. I like it. But underneath it, I just don’t feel right. I don’t feel at home.

God has probably heard my musings and thoughts, and here I am searching for a better future. Of course, the best escape is to further my education. That way, I won’t feel the guilt of feeling in the wrong place. But what if I can’t? What if I’m destined for something else? Will it be the same as before, or will I get a job that can use the knowledge I have obtained at uni, or has some connection to my studies? Will I find my “passion” ? Do I have to work according to what I studied? I want to, but so far that has not been the case.

One can only wonder his own destiny.