Your future

Deciding what you want to do

Whether it’s your parents, teachers or friends asking you 'What do you want to do with your life?', it can be overwhelming at times to hear.

Many of you will feel this way when you’re starting a new school year, or going off to college, sixth form or university. Or at the end of the school year, when you might start a new job and be earning money. It could also be if you get the chance to learn a new skill or go travelling.

Ways to get support with your future:

ask an adult that you trust for advice
talk to your friends – they might have similar choices to make
talk to a teacher or counsellor at school
visit the message boards – there’s an entire thread about ‘Your Future’
Ask Sam a question
talk to a counsellor.

Feelings about the future

Starting something new

It’s normal to feel nervous and anxious about change. Stepping out of your comfort zone and possibly meeting new friends can be a scary experience. If you’re feeling unsure, try looking at the change in your life as a new and exciting chapter. Or as a fresh start. Take a look at the message boards to see what other young people say.

Believing in yourself can take time but can happen. As you build up your self-esteem, you’re more likely to have the confidence to go for what you deserve. Rather than settling for something or someone that makes you unhappy.

Find out ways you can boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Dealing with setbacks

If your plans haven’t turned out the way you hoped, it can really knock your confidence. And it may leave you feeling frustrated, upset and even angry.

The best thing to do is take a step back and try to find another way to get to where you want to be.

If you’re unsure about what to do next, why not talk to a counsellor, read the message boards or Ask Sam a question. Make a list of goals so you can see what's important to you, how you feel about certain things and how you can make changes.

When you can’t imagine a happy future

If you feel low and find it hard to cope, talking about it can seem tough. But it’s also an important first step in getting help. It’ll also help you see that change and a positive future is possible.

You’ll be surprised at how strong you can be. With the right support, things can get better. Take a look at our message boards to see what other people have experienced and how they coped.

You could also think of talking to an adult you trust, using our Art box to track changes or chatting to a Childline counsellor.

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Challenges and the steps you can take

Worried about failing exams

It's normal to feel worried or stressed about exams. It can be hard to cope with the pressure to do well. And having to also think about what you'll do after school or college on top of that. Take a look at our page about exam stress for advice and useful tips.

Remember: if you don't get the results you were hoping for, there are still other options for you. And you’re not alone – you can get help. Get advice about exam results or talk to a counsellor for support with what you're going through.

Planning a future career

It can often feel like you have to make decisions now about what you want to do in the future. But lots of people (including adults) don’t plan their career. It's okay to be unsure about your future. It’s also normal to change your mind about what you want to do. Or to feel like you want to do different things.

For help, take a look at our page about jobs and work. It has lots of useful information about planning a career, advice on getting a job and earning money.

Family problems that can affect your future

Sometimes problems at home can affect your decisions and your future. For example:

being a young carer
feeling unsure about where you’ll live if your parents are divorced or separated
having nobody there to help you achieve your goals
feeling as though you family does not support you in what you want to achieve
having a hard time with studying because of arguments at home
being affected if your parents drink alcohol or use drugs
feeling confused or worried about a parent in prison.

If things are difficult at home, you can get help with what you're going through. You could talk to a teacher or an adult who you trust. Or a Childline counsellor can help you think about your choices and support you with making decisions.

To see how other young people cope with these sorts of problems, take a look at our message boards.

How pregnancy might affect your future

If you become pregnant while you're at school or college, you might feel worried or stressed about how things will be in the future, even if the pregnancy is planned. It can also be worrying if you find out you're going to be a young father.

You might feel unsure about:

being able to stay in school or finish exams
how things will be with your family and friends
having enough money to look after a baby and buy things such as nappies and a cot
being able to get a job or go to university
getting help with childcare or babysitting
being able to go out with friends or enjoy hobbies when you have a baby.

Having a baby means a big change in your life. But you can get support by asking an adult for help. Or ask your doctor about what support is available in your area. You can also look at Brook for information about having a baby.

5 things you should know:

if you become pregnant, you should still be allowed to finish your education
each school is different, so a first step would be to speak to a teacher about how your school can support you
your school cannot exclude you because you're pregnant
if you think you’re being treated unfairly, you can contact Coram Children's Legal Centre for free advice
you can get support with benefits and childcare if you’re a single parent or if you’re a young mum living at home with your parents – check out Gingerbread for more info.

Remember, you don't have to deal with things alone. You can always talk to Childline for free by calling 0800 1111.

What you can do

If worries about your future are affecting you, don’t bottle it up – find someone to talk to. Try talking to your parents, teachers or your friends. Asking an adult for help can be a first step to getting support.

You might also find it helpful to talk to other young people who are going through similar experiences. The message boards are a great way to do this in a supportive atmosphere. If you have a particular question, you could also Ask Sam for advice.

If you feel like you can’t talk to anyone you know, you can talk to a Childline counsellor at any time. Young people get in touch with us every week about all sorts of issues. Don’t ever feel like you’re wasting our time or that your problem isn’t big enough. What matters to you, matters to us.

Other sites we recommend:

Plotr is full of ideas and information to get you thinking about your future career
Career Pilot use their career tool to get you inspired
The Mix can help you find out more about managing your money, benefits and saving your money
Career Connect offers useful information for planning your career and further education
Fixers allows young people to share their experiences with you.

Life after school

Mood journal

Keep track of how you're feeling and why, it's a great way to let your feelings out.

Coping with stress

Get our tips to help you deal with stress, no matter what’s causing it.