“Oh, the Places You’ll Go”

One of the best gifts I received when I graduated from my Master’s Program 24 years ago (yikes, has it been that long???) was from my mother:  a nice needlework about seizing the day and a copy of Dr. Seuss’s “Oh the Places You’ll Go”.   In the whimsical, fantastical world that is Dr. Seuss, comes a story about “life trajectories” and seizing the moment:

Those of you familiar with the book know the next page.  And it goes something like this:  except when you don’t, because sometimes you won’t.   And then the book enters into the quagmire of life’s uncertainties – being pulled in other directions, making wrong turns, things in general not going the way you want them to.   And within a few pages, you’re brought back up to be “flying again”. Then, the part that I think is most important:  again, a period of doubt, a period of trouble.   What I love about that is that Dr. Seuss is (I believe) trying to tell us that periods of uncertainty are a lifelong reality – bouncing back from failures and rejections is a part of life, not just one phase to get through. 

Over the past month, I’ve been meeting with Y9 and Y 11 students about their pathways.  Some kids are completely clued into what they want to do and what they want to become while others, the world and all of its possibilities is still wide open.   For Year 13 students, applying to “dream” universities and NOT being accepted is a setback.   And all I want to do is read them this book:  to let them know that they are all on their way to great places, but setbacks and uncertainties will crop up of throughout the journey.  And that is OK.  That’s life.  Dr. Seuss told you so.