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Opting out or staying in
Last weekend, I watched The Social Network whereupon I felt a sudden urge to quit college right away. This was not the first time such thoughts had entered my mind.bookmark
Ang Sonam Sherpa
Published at : November 14, 2018
Updated at : November 14, 2018 08:33
Last weekend, I watched The Social Network whereupon I felt a sudden urge to quit college right away. This was not the first time such thoughts had entered my mind. And why wouldn’t they, since there is a plethora of examples of individuals in novels, films and real life who have left college to pursue their dreams. This phenomenon of individuals leaving college before graduating and becoming highly successful is not unusual, at least outside of Nepal. So it is not abnormal for such thoughts to enter my mind or the minds of students everywhere who dream of becoming entrepreneurs. I’ve tried to discuss dropping out of college with others. There were moments when I confessed to my friends that I might quit school, but they didn’t seem to understand me. I even confessed to my brother and sister about those thoughts, and received suggestions that were rather ambivalent. But that moment where I consult with my guardians about leaving college remains on the horizon.
Sometimes, I think it’s rather ludicrous of me to ignore the repercussions of me leaving college, the impacts it will have on my guardians, my friends, and my lifestyle. What if the business venture I go to establish fails? What if I am not competent enough to thrive in the market? What if I can’t even establish a business due to a lack of capital? Shall I go back to college then? What am I going to tell my friends, my teacher and most importantly, my parents? These questions prevent me from taking that fateful step of dropping out.
But again, there are those moments when I read about someone leaving their college and becoming the CEO of a million-dollar start-up. Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Paul Allen and many more come to mind. These examples incite the hidden extremism in my heart and often try to counter my thoughts. If my business fails, then can’t I start a new one? If there is ever a shortage of capital, then can’t I ask for help from my relatives? Even if the business fails and I become very unsuccessful, then can’t I keep on trying until I finally succeed?
So these thoughts and their accompanying questions never leave my mind. Should I leave college now and start a new venture? Or should I stay in college, study for a few more years, even complete my degree and only then start a company? I remain undecided, even though I keep swaying from one extreme to the other.
Sherpa is an A-Levels student at Saipal Academy
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