It’s the same storyline, same screenplay, and almost the same ending. Just the characters differ.
We all start university with the hope of using education to fulfil our dreams.
The time at the university is financed through big loans or our parents’ savings. After all, we consider education as an important investment.
You know exactly how much debt you’ll have the minute you graduate. Depending on your cultural backgrounds and/or family circumstances, it may even be compounded by the debt your parents carry.
The pressure of social expectations, and paying back the debt, manifests in people taking on jobs as consultants, bankers and other well-regarded positions. The ones that provide the best financial return on your degree.
The plan is to be there for a few years, pay back the loans, get in a good financial condition, and then chase your dreams.
By doing so, you successfully manage to pay back the student loan and get in a comfortable financial position.
But the story doesn’t end here.
Then comes the mortgage, and the new car, and other expensive purchases. You successfully manage to expand your lifestyle to match the salary you bring in.
Now you find yourself stuck and struggle to find a way out. Meanwhile, the decision to chase your dream keeps getting deferred till it’s eventually lost.
It’s sad but that’s how life plays out for a considerable number of people.
Remember, you can be one more character playing in the same old movie. Or, you can change the script completely. The choice is yours.