Teenage years are a confusing time for most people. Not only are you navigating your way through the jungle that is high school, you are expected to decide what you want to be for the rest of your life. The UCAS process can be stressful and there are so many different roads to take and it’s hard to know what is the best decision. Here are a few key things you should remember.
Nothing is Permanent
Although things may seem like the end of the world when they happen (and that’s not restricted to high school) you should remember that nothing is forever. If you pick a university degree, get to the end of the 4 years and decide that you no longer want a career in that field, that’s OK! T
he beautiful thing about University degrees is that it often doesn’t matter what you studied, it purely shows that you have the capability for further study. If you are panicking that once you have picked your degree you will be stuck in one lane for life, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Go With Your Gut
If you have a basic instinct about something then you should probably go with it. Perhaps your family are pressuring you to follow the same path they went down. Or maybe it’s what all your friends are doing. At the end of the day you need to do what’s right for you. By following your gut you can rest easy in the decision you make, even if it doesn’t work out.
Be Realistic
At some point or another we have all wanted to be an astronaut or something similar. Although you should always chase your dreams and aim high, you should also be realistic. If your grades aren’t up to scratch then it is unlikely you will make it into your top choices. This doesn’t mean give up completely, it just means it may take you longer to achieve what you hope to. For many this means attending college for a year before university or settling for a university with lower grade requests.
Keep Your Options Open
Never put all your eggs in one basic. This is advice to last a lifetime and certainly true when it comes to picking a university. Don’t apply for five courses at a university just because you want to go to that one and 
perhaps think about putting in a back-up course into your choices, one you have been thinking about but wouldn’t necessarily put it first. You should be open-minded for new influences to come in. You may have a last minute change of heart, go with it, it’s happening for a reason.
Put in the Effort
You will get out what you put in, this means that the more work you put into your studies and university applications, you are likely to reap the rewards. Don’t cut corners, it won’t get you anywhere in the long run. Universities are looking for well-rounded individuals so you should throw yourself into some extra activities outside of schoolwork.
It may be a stressful time. But once you are at university it is worth all the stress it cause you before. University is one of the best times in life so enjoy it while you are there.