Exam Season
Log Dated 29/09/2023
As I write this piece, I’m a day post sitting my Yachtmaster Theory exams. Successful sitting thank goodness! It was difficult, but the mental challenge was a welcome one and now I’m armed with the tools for my next exam… that starts in two weeks.
An interaction I seem to have consistently, is the continued need to explain to friends, clients, family, strangers at 28th birthday parties and gay weddings, is that yes, Outdoor Educators do in fact need professional qualifications. The most recent of which for me, consisted of 6 hours of written examinations following 5 days of intense learning. And yes, a lot of the learning should be based on knowledge gained from previous experiences and courses, but the point still stands.
In order to do my job, I need fancy pieces of paper that say that I can. And those cost me time, and money.
When I made the decision not to go to university, it was due to a lack of assurance that a degree would take my life in a direction I wanted to go. I have since returned to the idea, but finding a course that will allow me to pursue my varied interests simultaneously is proving even more challenging than the entry requirements to a Civil Engineering degree in the early 2010’s. If you know of anywhere that offers a syllabus that includes etymology, linguistics /and/ mathematics, as well as combined sports and child psychology, please do let me know…
So in the meantime, I do this. Travel, train, learn, teach. Live the seasonal life. Sit exams.
I don’t think I would be living the life that I do if I had gone to university straight out of school. It wouldn’t be wrong or boring necessarily. Just different. But seeing and hearing the pressure applied to young people to go, infuriates me in ways I can’t describe.
There are other paths if you look for them. There are ways to live a life of success without a degree. And most importantly, there are a myriad of experiences to be had, just by straying off the beaten path and following your nose. Even if you do still have to sit exams sometimes.
Best of luck to everyone starting at university this September! I hope you all have an incredible time. And to those who aren’t (especially those who feel like they should) - You’re gonna be okay.
Captains Log is my way of sharing my outdoor adventures with you, snow and sea both, and I look forward to updating you about the next leg of this voyage!