#5 Sliding Doors and Student Career Counselors
Next week, 406,000 hopeful applicants will find out if they’ve been accepted to any of the Swedish universities or university colleges. Among them is my youngest son, Simon. We’re hoping he’ll get into the international business program he’s aiming for, but if he doesn’t, that’s okay, too.
Reflecting on my journey, I realize that my path was largely circumstantial and that it was mainly by chance that I ended up in UX, design, and business.
I don’t remember what I wanted to become as a child—probably a fireman or a musician. But everything changed at age 12 when I got my first computer, a Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k. With 256 × 192 pixels and 15 colors, it was a technological masterpiece. Together with my childhood friend Fredrik, who recently got his VIC-20, we spent all the time we could trying to figure out how these machines work and what we could do with them. I still remember that first satisfying moment when we got the computer to draw lines and shapes on the screen just by entering abstract lines of code and typing “run.”
Despite my early interest in technology, my path wasn’t straightforward. In college, I discovered a talent for writing and even started a school paper with friends. We covered everything from the quality of the food in the cantina to the latest Hollywood movies. One of my first pieces was titled “Steven Segal is Hard to Kill, but Absolutely No Thrill” (a cringey title, I know, and not even the worst). I still have some of those issues stashed away in a box somewhere.
When it was time to start planning for university, journalism was my dream. There was just one problem: I needed straight A’s to get in. But aside from English, Swedish, and a few other subjects, I was far from a straight-A student. So, I needed a backup plan.
During the mandatory meeting with the school career counselor, he told me that “There will be a shortage of science teachers“ and recommended that I take an extra biology course instead of my final English course. “This way, you can apply to the teaching programs,” he said. Throughout my school years, I had met many teachers whom I admired, and I could easily see myself in that role. So, I followed his advice.
So, just in case the journalism miracle didn’t happen, I added a couple of communications programs—where I would still get to write—and a science teacher program to my university application. And finally, almost as an afterthought, I added a Computer Science program at the bottom of the list. After all, I used to spend most of my free time with my hands on a keyboard.
Three months later. The admissions letter is in my hand. I rip it open.
Journalism at Stockholm University, reserve no 1187. In Gothenburg, no 905. Communications… reserve no 90, 76, 55, and 48. Science teacher, NOT ELIGIBLE.
WTF? It turned out I really did need that final course in English after all...
Although I was disappointed not to get into journalism or become a science teacher, the Computer Science program at the very bottom of the list, called “People, Computers, and Work,” turned out to be fascinating and in perfect sync with the UX revolution of the last twenty years.
We do our best to get where we want to be, but small, seemingly inconsequential events or decisions can have a huge impact on the course of our lives. I could have been a science teacher (or, by way of a miracle, a journalist), and even though I'm perfectly happy with the way things turned out, I’m sure that any of those paths would have been equally rewarding in their own way.
Simon, I’m really looking forward to seeing what’s in store for you. Things might not turn out exactly the way you hope, but that’s okay, and I’m sure that you’ll find plenty of opportunities wherever life takes you. Thank you for being wonderful and for letting us be part of your journey.
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