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Joshua Handover is a first year Law student attending King's College London. Having pursued a business degree for two years in Singapore before deciding to come to London, in his post below, Joshua recounts his university application journey and discusses his reasoning behind taking the leap and switching to law.
Applying for university can seem a daunting task; countless schools to pick from, impending deadlines and the nagging possibility of choosing the wrong course. As a fresh-faced 18-year-old who had recently gotten his International Baccalaureate results, I felt uncertain. Uncertain about what to do, where to go, and who to turn to. With this uncertainty came an urge to procrastinate making such an important decision, and hence I pushed it to the back of my mind as I embarked on my compulsory two year long National Service in the army.
But, the passage of time is inevitable, and I soon found myself face-to-face with the decision yet again, only this time I lacked the luxury of time which had allowed me to procrastinate prior.
Which university should I go to? What course should I even do? What will I do in the future with my degree? These questions haunted me as I pored over university websites and student blogs. I quickly came up with a set of criteria to aid me in my search; cost, practicality of degree and location.
With that, I decided upon a local university which was 25 minutes away from my house and offered a reputable Business Management degree. At that time, I felt that a business degree would expose me to a variety of areas within the corporate world, and throughout my two years there, I was able to learn something new every day. However, there was always a lingering thought that I could never shake.
Am I in the right course?
Image Source: https://www.td.org/insights/deciding-how-to-decide
For months I would go back and forth in my head, weighing the pros and cons of my current course. Not to take anything away from a business degree, I learnt a great deal about the intricacies of business and am much more prepared to face the commercial world because of it. However, I continued to feel like there was something missing, and so began my search for a new course.
Fast forward a few months, and with a few internships under my belt, including one with a local law firm, I felt certain that I had to make the switch to law. I was excited by the challenge posed by a degree in law, and I set about applying for university once more, this time with profound vigor.
Looking back, I do not hold any regrets about the time I spent studying business. It equipped me with the necessary research and analytical skills that have served me well in law school thus far. However, if I could travel back in time to give some words of advice to my younger self, I would have a few things to say.
Consider your strengths, and find a degree which truly challenges you and makes you excited to learn more. Additionally, do not be afraid to go for what you want, even if it does involve a certain amount of risk. Finally, your choice in degree does not define or limit your job opportunities in the future, but it will determine the knowledge and skills you are exposed to whilst at university.