You spend fourteen years of your life dragging your less than perfect self to school and you finish that last, exhausting, life-draining, blood sucking fiend called A/Levels and you heave a sigh of relief and go, "that's it, dude. No more exams. Yippee frickin' ya ye!" And you party all night long and just chill like there's no tomorrow.

And then, when you least expect it, you get your results and it all comes crashing down on you…just like that… Just how unfair can life get?

There will be one of three possible outcomes – 1) you have flunked it royally (but I studied till my eyeballs popped out!), 2) you have scraped a pass (phew!) and 3) you, by some miracle, have done well enough to get into University (gee, why does everyone sound so surprised?)

Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain; you haven't seen the last of those dreaded exams. Nope…not by a long shot… If you flunked it, you have to repeat or you might as well pack your bags and go into hiding… From whom? All your relatives of course (including that nosy aunt or uncle who always seems to just love to rub it in)… Obviously, that means another year or two studying the whole thing all over again (groan).

If it's outcome Number 2, you'll have to do some sort of diploma or degree at a private institute or go abroad if you want to pursue an academic qualification. More exams!

If it is Number 3 and you're fortunate enough (or is that unfortunate?) to get into Uni…well, you're looking at four or five or even TEN (depending on the politics) more years full of gruelling exams …'nuff said.
Exams! Exams! Exams! They never seem to leave you alone, do they? Always haunting you like some unwelcome dinner guest threatening to snatch your social life away from you… Well, what's left of it, anyway…

But like most unwelcome dinner guests, you just can't avoid exams. They are a part and parcel of this increasingly competitive world we live in. When you go job hunting the first thing any prospective employer will look at is just how smart your CV says you are. Like it or not, that's just how the system works.

In the cold and cruel job market it really doesn't matter what you know and/or how much you know… It's either WHO you know or how much you can actually PROVE you know. And, sadly, the only way to do that is to sit through an exam and get a qualification on paper, a bachelor's degree being the minimum requirement these days. It's like having a driver's license. You may be a better driver than Michael Schumacher himself but if you haven't got a license to back that claim up, you can't take your car out… Unless of course you're willing to pay a fat fine or spend a couple of nights behind bars.

University doesn't sound so bad now, does it? A degree gives you a key to your future. It can open many doors. University is very different to school. It's not just about studying some 10 random subjects, but it's more about developing your skills and abilities, experiences and above all, realizing what life is like after school (to an extent at least). So if you've got no idea what to do after school or what job to do, university is probably the best place to start looking. Apart from meeting a lot of new people and getting involved in a bit of university politics, you've got a few more years to explore and think about what you want to do in life (maybe those lecturers can help you out a bit).

University provides a link or bridge between school and work. It hones your skills and abilities – such as research and analytical skills. It's not merely about learning through text books here or memorizing your teacher's notes like you did in school. It's more about learning and working on your own. You are required to read a lot and be able to understand and analyse issues, go deep into your chosen subject. Basically, it's meant to prepare you to face the complicated and competitive world out there.

One of the great things about Uni is that it doesn't try to force every single subject on Earth down your throat. You have the option of selecting the subjects you want to do, which is great because now you don't have to worry about your least favourite subject anymore. And it's not an 8am to 2pm thing with a 20 minute interval in the middle. Lectures are evenly distributed throughout the week and you don't have to follow a strict time table.

And best of all, there's no uniform! Much more freedom than school ever gave you… So what are you waiting for? Go get that license!