Ask your counsellor: Tradeoffs and some benefits

Ask your counsellor

Dear Madam,

I am in PUC II and am interested in BA in English and Journalism. But I am weak in English grammar, especially spellings of proper nouns and tenses, and so, fear taking these subjects. Some people are saying it might be dyslexia. How can I overcome this problem?

Pavan T S

Dear Pavan,

Has this always been a problem for you or is it something that you have noticed only now? Dyslexia does not start in an adult but it is possible it may not have been diagnosed earlier. You could get tested for it if you doubt that you may have it. In dyslexia, the letters seem inverted when you read them. It is possible to improve your spoken and written English by taking language classes. Just because it is not your strong point yet, does not mean that you cannot do it.

You can learn whatever you set your mind to. So, if you want to be a journalist who writes in English, then strengthen your language skills by taking some additional classes.

Dear Madam,

I am doing my MSc Physics but of late, I am not enjoying it. I am also good at fine arts. My parents ask me to work as a lecturer or take up another job after MSc but I want to work in a creative field. I am apprehensive that I cannot earn much. Please help!

Ritu Krishna

Dear Ritu,

To be a good lecturer or teacher, you must have an interest in the subject, and a curiosity to keep learning about the topic, apart from good communication skills and an ability to connect with your students. You should choose a career that interests you and that you are passionate about. However, some careers offer a more stable life with a regular salary and some do not. Only you can make a decision about what works for you. Each career choice you make will have some tradeoffs and some benefits. You should have the confidence and self-belief to make a choice that you think will work best for you. Know that any choice you make can also be changed, should things not work out well for you going forward. There are no guarantees and learning to live with the uncertainty of not knowing a final outcome in advance is a life skill we all have to learn.