90degrees of Life… Think outside the box (of the lecture room)

When I got my exam results this summer my heart sank. ‘What next’ played on repeat in my thoughts while emotionally, confusion and frustration fought amongst each other.

This feeling was all too familiar… Last year I thought my world would end because I failed a unit of my course. I would have to wait 6 months for the unit I to commence again the following year in April for another opportunity to pass and progress onto the next year. How would I stay motivated to continue with my studies while out of education?

Then it hit me that I could use this time productively by gaining life experience. So I sent depression an eviction notice and booked a ticket to Brazil! The best decision I could have made under those circumstances. And the rest is history, as they say!

But history has a way of repeating itself. I found myself once again in the same boat despite doing all I had been told to do to pass.

It dawned on me that the brick wall I had been fighting to overcome for years to prove I wasn’t a failure as society would deem someone in my personal circumstances, could in fact be the very walls of the university keeping me from reaching my full potential.

I came up with this campaign to encourage people, especially those in similar situation as myself, to think outside the box (of the university room)! There is a whole world out there yet so many of us are trapped in the illusion that university is the only way to get the best out of life.
I don’t discourage anyone from going to university, I just hope that one day society will lease up on the pressure of gaining a degree rather than gaining vital life experience.

’90degrees of Life’ is also a photo/video project I will be working on interviewing 90 inspirational people to share their story of how they succeeded in life without a degree. I hope this will help motivate and inspire anyone like myself who has lost faith in the university system, and feels alone in the dark. There is a window that opens up a world of opportunities!
Think outside the box… Grade yourself on the degree of the quality of your life.

If you have an inspiring story to share or you can suggest someone with one, I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks in advance for the support!

Kai 🙂