Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future; act now, without delay – Simone de Beauvoir

In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists – Eric Hoffer

The transition between post-high school and post-college graduation is one critical period of grave concern for young people. Graduating from high school and college today should actually be applauded as a historic achievement for youngsters. But while this fact is hardly controvertible, there is a downside to it. Experience has shown that many young people who are caught up in this age bracket, while basking in the euphoria of being decorated with the sash during high school valedictory service and the donning of convocation gowns, are at a corresponding high point of confusion as to how to handle the next stage of their lives and all the challenges that accompany it.

Only a very few, perhaps less than 10% of the entire lot, receive any form of mentoring about the way to go in this transition. And less than this 10% get whatever mentoring from parents, other relatives at home, teachers and lecturers, via informal and unstructured processes, making progress uneasy to be tracked and impact, difficult to measure.

The purpose here is to venture into a journey to provide insights on how young people can be engaged either during the transition between the end of high school and college pursuits, and how to prepare them for life as they grow. What should they equip their minds with, in preparation for that very rigorous academic period of their lives? What exactly should a post-high school and university graduate possess in terms of knowledge acquisition, skills, capabilities and the application of same to attain relevance? More so, what could go wrong if they fail to earn for themselves this well deserving preparation?

The following are 12 insights:...