3 signs its time to stop studying

Welcome to Questions from my team; where my team at Deakin gets to ask me questions and hold me accountable in answering them.

So here's Question #3:

That's a really tough question.

I remember when I was finishing my undergrad and had no idea what I wanted to do after.

I just dived right into an Honours program.

It was a brutal, 25000 word thesis.

And when that was done, there was just sheer relief.

But, I was just as lost as when I had first begun.

Upon looking back however, there were plenty of signs which suggested that I was ready to move on from formal education and into a different phase of life.

These signs are by no means the only signs - they may be entirely different for you, or manifest in different ways.

There is no right or wrong moment to dip out of study (in the traditional sense).

But here were my reasons:

(i) I was enjoying my work.

I worked at Coles while I was at university; which was a means to an end - although I learnt a lot there too!

But at the same time, I was freelancing a bunch (which I have mentioned a ton previously) and creating content for brands.

I enjoyed the thrill of creating something out of nothing; whether it was writing or photography - I really loved the process.

Juggling a bunch of opportunities and responsibilities outside of my studies showed me a couple of avenues forward, what my professional life could possibly look like and new ways to develop personally.

And if you currently have something that gives you a glimpse into your future and gets you excited - you owe it to yourself to explore that.

Even for a moment.

(ii) I wanted to see the world.

This is a little more lame and wanderlusty - but it's true.

I had gotten to a point where I was just over the same schools and campuses and exam halls and walls.

I'd spent years reading about different countries and cultures, and wanted to finally see them.

And having added travel into the mix, I satiated my craving for something different.

It taught me valuable lessons like:

• How to be considerate of others.

• How to be an effective communicator.

• How to be independent and pack efficiently: quick tip - roll your socks into your shoes when you pack, works a charm.

We all can end up existing in our own bubbles sometimes - same friends, same places, the algorithm feeding us the same content every day.

Exposing yourself to difference is vitally important.

As a matter of fact, I swear by it.

(iii) You're keen to keep learning, but just over studying.

This was the biggest sign of them all.

When I was writing my thesis, I was often "encouraged" to maybe not read certain texts or give certain opinions more weight.

In that moment, it dawned on me that studying and learning is sometimes not necessarily the same thing.

While I was desperate to consider different opinions and engage in thoughtful conversation, my study was bound in prescribed reading lists and frameworks that were not created to consider the learner.

Sometimes, study is a one size fits all scenario.

But having now left formal education and worked full time for a few years, I've learnt a lot more about myself and about the world than I ever did in school or university.

Formal education has its benefits - most notably for me, it teaches a person discipline.

The discipline to sit through a Maths class or a boring politics lecture is a skill that shouldn't be underestimated.

It's that kinda discipline that'll get you through tough meetings;

or when you're chasing up that lost lead;

or condescending humans.

But leaving formal education will give you the opportunity to finally learn.

That is, to learn the way you want to.