Friends who are completing the same subjects with you at school or who sit with you in university lectures can be great motivators. You work closely with them because you’re on the same page—maybe you’re both great at maths, both completing an Education degree or have similar career interests and aspirations.
These friends pose an amazing and mutually beneficial opportunity to encourage and motivate as you bounce ideas off each other and challenge one another to improve in your areas of strength. Therefore, you should be careful who you choose to study and work with. Their work ethic will undoubtedly rub off on you: the importance they place on their study will affect how much you place on yours; the way they use their time will influence your time management skills and the excitement they have for their future career will give you additional confidence to pursue what you love.
These friends will also be the ones who you can turn to for moral support and constructive feedback because they will know and understand what is important in your field. They might also provide you with objective advice to help you find your way. Failed your science class but planning on going into a career in hospitality? Perhaps you are too close to the situation to see the benefits of dropping your three units of Chemistry to pick up a class that will equip you with vital and relevant skills for your chosen career path.
Sometimes you will need that other person to discuss ideas with, and at other times they will need to come to you. How amazing to be able to help a friend begin a career that they love! And nothing makes knowledge stick like teaching it to someone else.
© Jacqueline Batterham
