10 Things You Must Immediately Start Doing From Last Day of A/L Exam

If you’re Sri Lankan and just finished your A/L Exam Read this now and craft your future. Alone!

1. Get your driving license
   For most Sri Lankan families buying their own car is still a distant dream, even for my poor family it was the same when I was a teenager. So I didn’t bother much about getting a license, But when I could actually afford a car I regretted the decision so much when I had to take driving classes while working full-time. Spending your time to learn how to drive a vehicle can immediately give you edge over your competition at job interviews as well as you gain a secondary form of identification as it can be used as an ID card. Also it gives you a sense of adulthood and responsibility.
   (P.S. — Try to look a little serious in the photo)
2. Get your passport done.
   Similarly to a driving license getting your travel documents ready is very important as you will never know where in the world your next opportunity will arise. You are able to save some money on the processing fees as you can go ahead with the lower rate normal procedure and you will have your passport mailed to you in 10 working days if you submit the documents right.
   (More- http://www.immigration.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=142&Itemid=191&lang=en#or )
3. Learn how to cook a decent meal
   Sri Lankan Youth are more accustomed to the fact of being called to the dinner table by their moms every evening, rarely we see a teenager peaking to the kitchen asking their mothers if she needs a hand. Even if they want to help their mothers she would ask them to go back and start studying. While I see nothing wrong with the mother's intention the real pain comes when you get stuck yourself somewhere else in the world you don’t get the food you are used to eat. If you learn a thing or two about making a decent meal for yourself it could come in very handy at unexpected times. Try cooking a meal for your mom and see how it feels.
4. Start earning your pocket money.
   Finding a part time job is no longer a problem in this new economy as companies are always on the search for young talent. They will see to that you will get paid with industry minimum. But that’s okay, This will help you to reduce financial footprint on your parents and start becoming an independent adult.
5. Start saving up and get your own bank account.
   Savings are an assurance of your financial decision making. If you have enough savings to support you for that MBA you wanted to do and doing it on full time you are at your convenience to do so. Start with 10% of Your earnings first and slowly increase the amount as you grow your income. Do this every time you make an earning.
6. Develop the habit of punctuality.
   To me being punctual is a gesture of respect, if you promise someone that you’ll be there at 10:30 you be there. Being a man of your word is important than anything else. Punctuality is where integrity begins. If you develop this ability early on nothing can get in the way of you being an organised well respected and highly effective individual.
   “The habit of being prompt once formed extends to everything — meeting friends, paying debts, going to church, reaching and leaving place of business, keeping promises, retiring at night and rising in the morning, going to the lecture and town-meeting, and, indeed, to every relation and act, however trivial it may seem to observers.” –William Makepeace Thayer, Tact and Grit, 1882
7. Develop your own style.
   Honestly, this is an overlooked area for many young Sri Lankan kids, While the city boys are followers of many styles that comes and goes the village boy doesn’t have a clue how to carry themselves forward. These things are quite obvious from people who are well into their thirties and still doesn’t give a rats ass about how they look or how they smell.
   When you are in your twenties is the best time in your life to set a tone and style to your personality with your own way of presenting yourself. developing an appreciation for fashion sense is a good thing but not all of us are capable of that. The key is to wear clean clothes, smell good and have a smile on your face.
8. Travel the country.
   While travelling the world would be a nice idea, I don’t believe the majority of Sri Lankans can afford to travel the world by the age of 20. So the other fun alternative is to explore Sri Lanka, after all we are a top tourist destination and we should be able to appreciate beauty of our own land. Travelling gives you the sense of freedom and individual confidence to go alone and achieve things in life. So it's always good to feel what freedom taste like.
9. Try learning a new language
   For many of Sri Lankans this language could be English as they need to polish the grammar and vocabulary, but for those folks live in the city and know their english, learning a totally new language can be exciting and fun at the same time, The more you explore new languages the more doors that opens for you.
10. Volunteer for a good cause
    A good opportunity I personally had with when I was 20 years old was to work as an Interpreter for VSO an UK based voluntary organisation, this experience shaped the person who I am today. Volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.

So there you go, most of these things were missed during my early 20’s but I learned the lesson the hard way. Hope this helps.

Cheers.