It's all in the mind. If academics is not your thing, there is a world waiting to accept you with open arms. We list you 10 options if going to college is not your reality.
1. Intern at any organisation
There is no better way to find yourself than on the field. And no college is going to prepare you for the same. So why don't you spend this summer interning at a range of places to figure out what you want in life? Call a relative who owns a firm. Call a family friend who heads an organisation. Be brutally honest. "This is a difficult time, I know. But I want to start fresh and I am eager to learn." You'll be shocked with how much support might just come your way. Start out as a peon even, but get started.There is no better way to learn about an organisation than from bottom-up.
2. Enrol for a photography, videography or editing course
Again, all of the above don't need you to be an SSC pass. All you need is an eye for the perfect image. Completing a short course in any of the above fields gives you a vocational certificate. Merge that with a clever internship at a media organisation and you could well be on your way to having a solid career.Remember to network thoroughly in and out of the classroom. Keep an eye out for which firms are hiring, but most importantly, pick up your skills earnestly. It is these skills that will get you a foot in the door eventually, and beyond.
3. Pursue a language
Alliance Francaise, Max Mueller, and a range of other organisations do not require you to be an SSC pass to take some of their remarkable language courses. Dive deep into another culture via its language. Make it your passion.
You could use these skills to become a translator or work in an MNC that requires bi-lingual skills and the world could well be your oyster. Moreover, it is one of the more informal ways of going "back to school".
4. Dabble in the stock exchange
Okay, now here is where you will have to be more meticulous rather than street-smart, despite the connotation. Choose to intern with a stock broker's firm to learn the ropes, even if it means doing a lot of donkey work for almost two years. This is a city with the most active stock exchange in the subcontinent. It might help if you start subscribing to The Economic Times and keeping a tab on which firms are on the way up, and which ones are headed for trouble. Start investing on behalf of your friends and family. Again, remember this is an investment in your career and not some summer hobby. So pick your investments wisely.
5. Assist existing coaches
If athletics is your thing, it could well be worth your while to spend this summer assisting a swimming coach or a gym instructor. You'll pick up techniques from them that could take you a long way. In addition, schools are now consistently on the lookout for talent in the field of athletics. After a summer or two of assisting a top coach, you could enrol into a fitness training class and consider a career in the field.
6. Become a DJ
As they say, groove is in the heart; so if you've not passed your Grade 10 and if the future looks dark, you're probably right. Because the nightclub could well come to your rescue. Enrol at a DJ-ing course in the city, learn the tricks of the trade. Then request to become an assistant to a DJ. Remember, the trick lies in dividing your time between cool gigs and not-so-cool events (read weddings, corporate functions, who cares?). Point is that you make ends meet in a city that never sleeps. So get down to spinning the wheel...
7. Become a dog trainer
Hold the jokes; but top dog walkers charge as much as Rs 2,000 a day for taking care of pets if their owners are away. With the city having its fair share of dog-lovers, this could well be a career of the future. One of the ways to go about this is by interning at animal welfare shelters. Not only will you pick up crucial skills, but you'll also be able to network with people from the field.
8. Become a flaneur blog
Okay, this one's a shot in the dark, but what isn't these days? With the social networking bug hitting many, you might want to give blogging a shot. Is travel your thing? Or are you the flaneur for whom the city is his/her muse? If you think you have a slant on things that the others lack (let's face, you are different), why not give blogging an earnest try? If food is your thing, try a food blog. If art criticism tickles you, let the world know your opinion. In an increasingly networked world, the opinion, as it turns out, can be monetised.
9. Yoga instructor
Again, you don't need an SSC certificate to become a yoga instructor. But what you do need is dedication and inspiration. A range of organisations in the city help you to become a trained yoga instructor. With increasingly hectic lifestyles causing stress-related illnesses, the demand for yoga is growing in the city. If you patiently pursue this as a career, the rewards could well be worth it in the long run.
10. Become an online entrepreneur
If you wish to start out with an e-commerce site, but don't know what genre you wish to dabble in, take the summer to do some research. Do you see a future in bric-a-brac, or does the moolah lie in fashion for the young and restless? Either way, once you're done with your groundwork, invest a tiny sum and see how things go.
Many young folks are starting e-commerce sites when they're as young as 22 (ie fresh out of college). Why not become an entrepreneur fresh out of school? The times, after all, are a-changing...
