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Tutor Elza B 's Column

What's your favourite subject? Your answer to this can change your life!

Weekly Topic: What was your favorite subject to study in primary school?

May 1, 2020

Some students can automatically tell you what's his/her favourite subject is - I was like one of them! Since I remember, HISTORY was my favourite subject! And, I also remember, I DID NOT want to become a teacher! I wanted to be an archaelogist or a historian... somebody who spends long hours in the library, reading about interesting historical facts! 

SPOILER ALERT: I did not turn out to be a historian! Why? Because I was too lazy... to study for the school-leaving exam (which is also the entrance exam at the university in my country) so I didn't have enough points for it! Luckily, I listened to  my parents who urged me to also sign up for languages so if worst comes to worst, I can still start my career at the uni. 

Guess what, I also liked history at the university and turns out that during the English major years, we learnt the sufficient amount of history that I liked and with the sufficient amount of stories in it that I liked. So slowly, my favourite subject-idea started to change in my head. I noticed that I really have a talent for languages and I didn't only learn them for obligation but also as a hobby. I still enjoy learning languages! I think that's the best and when you're a beginner, the first time you discover a rule in the language, now, that's the big AHA-moment! 

I hope, all of you have this AHA-moment sooner or later - not only with languages but also with your own subjects. That's when understanding meets common interest which enforces motivation and the FLOW! 

I'm not saying, I wouldn't be happy now if I were a historian at the moment - but I'm sure, my life would have turned out otherwise. I still love history, by the way! I love reading historical books! (Novels, for entertainment, not fact books though.) I still like to imagine how life could have been in the past. 

All in all, what I can say is: choose your favourite subject but be a bit flexible about it: life doesn't always turn out as we wish it, but it might offer new spheres and perspectives for us if we lean into it. And, mostly, you can always keep your interests alive in different ways, even if your dream job is far away from you - for the time being. 

(On a sidenote: if I hadn't been a teacher, I wouldn't have met so many nice students on this website! For which, I'm really grateful!)

This column was published by the author in their personal capacity.
The opinions expressed in this column are the author's own and do not reflect the view of Cafetalk.

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