What are you going to do with your life?
You got into university – check. You’re either studying something you’re completely head-over-heels passionate about, something you did very well at high school (before the novelty died), you have no idea why you’re here, but the folks back home have great expectations, or you’re somewhere in between - check.
However far along in your studies you are, be it Bachelors, Masters or PhD, the big questions always looms: what am I going to do with my life?
- Post graduate studies/ post-doctorate studies/ post-post studies… Fairly self-explanatory. Gets you closer to a life of research, allows you to research something at the apex of your field; potentially world-changing in itself, the holy grail of which is to be awarded a Nobel Prize… sometime down the line.
- Finish up whatever study you’re doing and go into industry. Bad times now, so only the best and brightest will get the coveted ball-breaking finance jobs. The rest will have to look within their respective degree-related industries to find a job that inspires, or go into teaching (a steady job educating the young minds of the future – very respectable).
- Start up your own company, be your own boss, not work under anyone else’s orders – just you and the endless stretch of horizon that screams POTENTIAL. Apply the best of everything that you’ll ever know about yourself and create something in its reflection.
Starting your own company might sound scary to you. But the short of it is, there’s always no better time to start-up than now, and there’s especially no better time to start-up than while you’re at university. Why?
1. Competitions – you can earn money just by having an idea. Imperial Entrepreneurs has just launched Ideas Empowered, a business idea competition. The competition has two rounds, with a 1500 word executive summary submission on 5 April; the top teams go to the finals on 1 May and pitch their ideas to a panel of judges/investors. Winners will receive a £3000 cash-prize as well as in-kind services and benefits such as 6 months of mentoring by Connect London, profiles/ads on Cmypitch.com and introductions to investors. Teams also get the chance to be mentored by professional entrepreneurs throughout the competition and learn essential business skills at our workshops.
2. A haven of co-founders. Look around you. You go to uni with some of the brightest technical people in the country. Somewhere you’ll find someone who’s into creating stuff, up for a challenge, or willing to give it all a go.
3. Access to tools and facilities. Campus resources such as university lecturers, Imperial Innovations, research databases, the library and free legal services can add value to your entrepreneurial endeavours from the beginning.
4. Few major obligations. Most of us are living off scholarships, sponsorships, parent hand-outs, student-loans and part-time jobs. We’re expected to feed ourselves, learn and grow. What better way to learn then to start your own company?
5. An unbelievable learning experience. Entrepreneurs average 3.8 failures before final success. Even though you may not succeed the first time, as long as you give it your all and do your best, you’ll learn a hell of a lot out of the experience.
6. There’s still time. If you start up now, and you fail. There’s still time for you to go into post-grad studies, go into industry, or give it another round…
So if you’re still unsure about what you want to do with your life, and you’re willing to give entrepreneurship a shot, come to the next Imperial Entrepreneurs event to find out more.
Published in Felix, Imperial College London, Friday 13 March 2009. (Slightly modified)
