Member-only story
My Biggest Career Mistake
Some dreams should stay dreams
I was 17 and about to tie myself to a study for 4 years.
“You can also be creative in the economy.”
My top choices at the time were language studies or art school. But the folks were not impressed. I looked up to them, at the time. Their disapproval crushed my creative dreams.
In a bid for connection and approval, I threw my top choices out the window. And went to marketing school.
By the time I graduated, I felt nothing. No pride, no relief.
I didn’t even attend the ceremony.
Chasing the wrong goals
After graduating, I changed countries for a fresh start.
I worked whatever jobs that paid the bills, while holding onto a dream: a Master’s in Chinese studies.
Mandarin’s not a language you can study passively. To keep the language active in my brain, I kept signing up for HSK exams, hoping deadlines would keep me motivated.
But without classes, real conversation, or immersion, progress was slow.
Scholarship opportunities
Students of Mandarin can take advantage of several scholarships. The Confucius Institute websites…
