Since my last post, I’ve missed writing and sharing my thoughts with you all. But I really wanted things to work out so I could write this piece and send it to you. I’d like to discuss with you a few items that have been on the minds of the economics faculty ever since I became a newmaster of business economics a few months ago. To begin, I’d like to point out that everyone among my coworkers who actively sought out employment was successful in doing so. Some of my former coworkers are still out there seeking for job, but given the current state of affairs, I have no doubt that they, too, will soon be making valuable contributions to the Croatian economy. Currently, it appears that the Croatian media’s scare tactics were entirely uncalled for. There will always be economists who can’t seem to land a job, but in my experience, that’s typically because they’re either feeling directionless or just need a break. This is fine, and I wish the same for them as they enter this new phase of their lives. In this section, I discuss the work and education of economists with whom I am familiar.

I also want to talk about university life. Now that I’ve stopped and tried to look at things objectively (as much as possible), I realise that college has helped me immensely. In 2009, while I was preparing for college, I had a single mental image of what it would be like. After visiting some of the top universities in the world, I realise that my preconceived notions were grossly inaccurate. After experiencing a great deal of dissatisfaction in my first year of college due to the programme and the working style of not only my faculty but the faculty in the state as a whole, I made the decision to switch to my advantage in my second year. At this point, you come to terms with the fact that you are the one responsible for shaping your future and that your success in college, as well as in the job market, family life, and other aspects of the good life, will ultimately rest in your own hands. I worked incredibly hard to take advantage of every opportunity college presented me with, and it did help. My buddies and I were creating the college and the atmosphere we wanted while the rest of my classmates conformed to the system and learned the nonsense we were forced to learn. It all began with the assistance of one professor, Maja Cukusic, whom I am obligated to appoint since she is deserving of the position. As a teacher and a mentor, I appreciate all she has done for me and my classmates. Thus, in 2011, we initiated the first project at the Faculty of Economics, which allowed us to apply what we had learnt to a real-world scenario (that it exists in Croatia), experiment with business processes, and produce something of tangible value to the faculty and ourselves.

It has been said, “Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.”

Da Vinci, Leonardo

The next step was to form an organisation to coordinate our IT management strategies, and from there, progress accelerated at an exponential rate. All of this is possible thanks to our hard work, dedication, and determination, as well as the encouragement and backing of our professors, who saw us as their saviors—a chance to show that with this faculty they can aid and raise economists worthy of this country. I would want to express my gratitude to Professor Ivana Bilic for all that she has done for the organisation and for me personally. Last but not least, we owe our dean, Zeljko Garaca, a debt of gratitude for all the time and effort he put into supporting us students and our efforts to advance as an organisation despite his many other responsibilities as the administrator of our university.

Consequently, the above-mentioned teachers, among the few with whom we actually worked, aided us in gaining insight and developing skills that would prove useful later in life. The remainder of the faculty stayed in the Balkan swamp, feeding off of books that were published when I was still in diapers.

appealing subjects despite his sloth and, at times, lack of knowledge. But I don’t want to discuss them; rather, I’d like to focus on the ones above, of which there will hopefully be more and more in the future. So, between them and the Internet (Coursera, edX, and Udacity), I received what I came to college for: KNOWLEDGE. Having knowledge eliminates worries about things like joblessness, pay, sleep, and safety. Then you’d realise that the shift from thinking about money to thinking about knowledge is what inspired these tales.

If you’re willing to listen to me even though I’m not wise, experienced, or old enough, here’s what I would tell you:

• Look for work that interests you.
• Discover the books you have to have.
• Aim to get educated

First and foremost, you should figure out what you’re passionate about. You’ll be spending a significant portion of your life at work, so it seems to reason that you should enjoy what you do there. Unlikely as it may seem, it’s not impossible. You can’t just “google” a few questions and call it a day; that won’t get you very far. Actually, it takes a long time (years) and a lot of probing on your part to get to the bottom of this. For me, this entailed the all of my junior year of college and the first semester of my senior year. Don’t rush, take as much time as you need, and keep in mind that this is the most crucial stage.

Things will become easier after this point, but only slightly. Next, you should read widely in this subject of interest to you, so that you may lay out a road map for yourself to follow in the years to come. Because there is more than one way to go about things in the real world, you’ll need a guide to help you pick the right one. The Life Map provides more options and avenues of exploration than the ubiquitous Google Maps. You’ve done a lot for your life already, and now you’re ready to take the first step. You can take a relaxing trip on the map you made, and here’s the cool part: you get to choose which way to go, whether it’s to the left, right, along, or across the map.

Our third and last element, LEARNING, refers to this freedom of action and possibilities. Now is the time to invest in your best work. You learn new things, grow from novice to master, gain expertise, and accumulate KNOWLEDGE. This is the point at which your hard work pays off and your vision comes into focus, yet I’ve come to realise that dreams and fantasies are really an elaboration of the real world. If you weren’t careful, your dreams may easily become a reality and grow more so through time and via your own actions. A number of my coworkers are still in the workforce or in school because they are afraid or lack the courage to do the aforementioned three steps. How many of your buddies have you lost in the first round? Maybe you’re the one.

Whatever the case may be, I pray that the lessons I’ve learned along the way can aid you in discovering the things that truly bring you joy in life. Do not expect the school, the government, or life in general to provide for your every need; you will have to work for everything on your own. There is a time restriction, but not on dreams. Treat your aspirations with care and love.

Thank you, especially, to my parents and other close relatives. It’d be a lot more challenging without them.

Images courtesy of www.efst.hr and www.evolllution.com.