How to Adjust to University Life When You Grew Up in the Farmlands

Pixabay

When you grew up in the farmlands, chances are you worked as a farmer alongside your parents. Your income came from the land you own, and it allowed you to make some savings. Every day, your routine revolves around prepping your lands for planting, caring for the crops, and harvesting. If you also handle livestock, your day is spent tending to the animals. You milk the cows, train the horses if you have them, and watch over the hens laying eggs.

But when it's time to move to the city for college, what now? All you knew is the farmlands, which is a small world compared to the metro. If you're not even sure what you want to do after high school, adjusting to college life will be challenging.

Should you keep pursuing farming, or should you spread your wings at university?

Why Farming is a Good Career Choice

Farming can make a lot of money. It may not sound believable, especially if you live in a country where most farmers are old and poor, only making $2,000 every year, which is just a little over a hundred dollars every month.

For this reason, many kids don't want to go into farming after high school. If you underwent an amazing online elementary education program, it's only natural for you to long for something greater after high school. You'd want to move into the city and experience university life. But before making rash decisions, consider the potentials of farming in terms of generating a bigger income.

With the right moves and equipment, your farm can yield handsome profits. So much so that some people with high positions in the corporate world have given up their careers for farming. Fidel David, a former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia, went back home to the Philippines despite his high-paying job because he decided to work as a farmer in his hometown in Pampanga. He planted rice and cherry tomatoes, which according to him are in demand in Japan. He also planted watermelons, honeydew lemons, and other fruits and vegetables that would give him the best yield no matter the season and weather.

Eventually, Fidel's farming business grew, allowing him to help his fellow farmers make a good profit as well. In addition, he put up a farmer's cooperative and agricultural school to increase knowledge about responsible and organic farming.

To follow Fidel's example, plant crops that you can harvest fast and will give you the best yields.Invest in the necessary equipment and infrastructure. Then lease your land to another farmer or a farming company. Remember, farming is also a business, which means strategic planning is required to keep it running and generating income. As long as you have the right skills, you can thrive in it, no matter your educational background.

Adjusting to University Life

You can choose to go to university without abandoning your farming job. Or choose the university for another degree altogether. Either is fine; what's important is you're doing what you want, and you're deciding for yourself.

If you're still unsure what you want to do in college, it's completely normal. Many teens feel the same. To adapt well to your new life, identify your strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself what's your favorite academic subject. Do you like to partake in extracurricular activities? If you do, you can join a student organization that engages in your activity of choice. But if you're more of a studious type, you can find out if your university holds academic contests, workshops, or seminars.

While it's important to know your niche in college, you should also try to explore other activities or fields. For example, arts or sports. If you're a math wizard but also love to sing, consider joining a performing arts club to practice your golden voice. The more clubs and activities you partake in, the bigger your social circle becomes, allowing you to have an enjoyable life on campus.

But of course, don't forget your responsibilities. In college, you're pretty much on your own when it comes to your studies. Your professors won't spoonfeed you with information. As such, you have to be good at researching, tracking your assignments and projects, and time management. In college is where you practice being a full-fledged adult.

No matter what degree you choose, take your studies seriously. If you end up studying agriculture, don't assume that you already know everything because you grew up as a farmer. There are always more things to learn. Then bring the knowledge you've acquired in the university back home, and make your farming business even more successful. That way, you've spread your wings, but instead of leaving your nest, you've turned it into a whopping estate.