Education, a never-ending journey

What a year this will be for my family. It is my oldest daughter's last year in high school, so she is about to take the critical exams to join the university of her choice. That's the Greek educational system.

My wife and I have spent many hours explaining to her that this is not the end of the world. After all, education is a never-ending journey in this life for everyone, but still, you can see the agony and tremendous pressure on her face even though we are almost one year before the exams.

Although this is mentally exhausting, she is willing to compete in this cruel race. She wants to prove her value. For her, it is a fight she has to give and come back victorious, so no matter what we tell her, she has tunnel vision. "I have to win. It is my time."

I remember myself 25 years ago following the same pattern, having the same beliefs, sharing the same anxiety, being as stubborn as she, and saying the exact phrases. Eventually, I switched careers two times down the road.

Life is a journey full of turns, ups, and downs, so we cannot take it that seriously, but we must play the game. Every game is highly welcomed as long as it doesn't kill us.

I see teenagers devastated after the process, almost ready to give up. These young people need our support since this is the very beginning of their career, so they deserve a huge boost to find the courage to move on even if they believe they failed. Who knows, a mishap might prove to be a great win in the end as long as we teach them to cheer for all their battles and not just for their victories.

Personally, I wish the best to all teenagers who study hard and compete for a bright future. You are already the winners of this game, even if you cannot see this right now. Cheers!!