Task 2 (10 points)
Read the text and decide whether each statement (1-10) is true (T), false (F) or not mentioned (NM), according to the text. Choose the appropriate bullet point. An example (0) has been given.
CHANGE
Change is difficult and scary. Unfortunately, change is also critical to our continued happiness as humans. Even if we cannot bring ourselves to embrace change, we should try not to avoid it at all costs. Experts and people who have made major life changes share their views on change.
Claudia, a 20-year-old student from London, had received a scholarship to study chemistry in one of the top universities in the country and was on a tour there with her mother when she broke down. “My mum looked at me and said: ‘You seem so unhappy.’” Claudia confessed she had been having doubts about the chosen course. “I had been having panic attacks, and at that moment I decided it was best not to go ahead with it,” she remembers. She went home that evening and applied for London College of Fashion. What Claudia had not expected was that so many people would tell her she was making a mistake. “My friends thought I was mad,” she says. Despite this, Claudia stands by her decision. “I just had that feeling in my gut. It’s been really hard, and there have definitely been times this year where I’ve thought: what have I done? But, overall, it’s better for me.”
If you are unhappy with your life and are thinking about making a major change, hammer out exactly what you hope to achieve by ripping things up and starting afresh. “Ask yourself: am I running away from something or walking towards something?” says Dr Carole Pemberton, a career coach and personal-resilience expert. “Be clear about why you’re doing this and why it matters to you. That has to be your anchor. When things are challenging and you’re experiencing doubt, you need an anchor to hold on to, to remind you why you’re doing this.”
“Just before the decision was the hardest time,” says 26-year-old Catherine Offord. She quit her PhD to work as an English teacher in Micronesia in 2019. “Afterwards, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t regret it once.” One thing that had been holding Offord back was a feeling of failure for not completing her PhD, even though she was not enjoying the course. Over time, she realised that her happiness was more important than seeing something through for the sake of it. It helped to break down the decision into manageable steps. “It felt really overwhelming to make a decision that would potentially affect the rest of my life. It paralysed me. But when I decided that I was only going to make a decision affecting the next year that was really helpful.”
The first time 30-year-old Victor Bryant got into a cockpit, he froze. Formerly a journalist from the UK, he is training in New Zealand to be a pilot. “I was absolutely petrified. I thought: Oh my god, what have I done? However, don’t bottle everything up. When you’re overwhelmed, it’s tempting to hide yourself away and have a good cry. My advice would be to get out there and socialise with people.” One way to get over the weirdness is to focus on your new life. “Throw yourself into whatever you’re doing that’s new,” says Bryant. “If you have moved somewhere completely new, try to befriend as many people as possible. You need to have supporters. People who will give you emotional support, but can also give you a shake and a loving boost if you’re having wobbles.”
“Self-doubt is a necessary component of any major life change,” says Gurpreet Singh, a therapist at a counselling charity. “Use your strength to overcome those feelings. A lot of good can come out of making mistakes,” says Singh. At the same time according to Pemberton, “A good way to conquer doubt is to work on your emotional resilience, but a big thing that undermines emotional resilience is overthinking. If something goes wrong, or you have a vision of how you want your life to be and it hasn’t worked out, try not to go over the things that have unsettled you. Catch your inner voice when it is saying: this is a disaster, I’ve ruined my life. A more useful thought to have is: this feeling will pass.”
Claudia knew that not choosing the top university was the right thing to do, because she did not want to find herself a decade down the line doing what she hated. “Life is too short, and it’s important to be happy,” she explains.
“It’s been really good for me,” says Bryant about his life change. “It has given me the power to do something totally different with my life.” Mostly, he has learned that, if you are unhappy with your life, you have to take a leap of faith. “You can’t just sit there and think life will improve by itself. You’re the only one who can make positive changes in your life. You have to go out and do it.”
Claudia, a 20-year-old student from London, had received a scholarship to study chemistry in one of the top universities in the country and was on a tour there with her mother when she broke down. “My mum looked at me and said: ‘You seem so unhappy.’” Claudia confessed she had been having doubts about the chosen course. “I had been having panic attacks, and at that moment I decided it was best not to go ahead with it,” she remembers. She went home that evening and applied for London College of Fashion. What Claudia had not expected was that so many people would tell her she was making a mistake. “My friends thought I was mad,” she says. Despite this, Claudia stands by her decision. “I just had that feeling in my gut. It’s been really hard, and there have definitely been times this year where I’ve thought: what have I done? But, overall, it’s better for me.”
If you are unhappy with your life and are thinking about making a major change, hammer out exactly what you hope to achieve by ripping things up and starting afresh. “Ask yourself: am I running away from something or walking towards something?” says Dr Carole Pemberton, a career coach and personal-resilience expert. “Be clear about why you’re doing this and why it matters to you. That has to be your anchor. When things are challenging and you’re experiencing doubt, you need an anchor to hold on to, to remind you why you’re doing this.”
“Just before the decision was the hardest time,” says 26-year-old Catherine Offord. She quit her PhD to work as an English teacher in Micronesia in 2019. “Afterwards, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t regret it once.” One thing that had been holding Offord back was a feeling of failure for not completing her PhD, even though she was not enjoying the course. Over time, she realised that her happiness was more important than seeing something through for the sake of it. It helped to break down the decision into manageable steps. “It felt really overwhelming to make a decision that would potentially affect the rest of my life. It paralysed me. But when I decided that I was only going to make a decision affecting the next year that was really helpful.”
The first time 30-year-old Victor Bryant got into a cockpit, he froze. Formerly a journalist from the UK, he is training in New Zealand to be a pilot. “I was absolutely petrified. I thought: Oh my god, what have I done? However, don’t bottle everything up. When you’re overwhelmed, it’s tempting to hide yourself away and have a good cry. My advice would be to get out there and socialise with people.” One way to get over the weirdness is to focus on your new life. “Throw yourself into whatever you’re doing that’s new,” says Bryant. “If you have moved somewhere completely new, try to befriend as many people as possible. You need to have supporters. People who will give you emotional support, but can also give you a shake and a loving boost if you’re having wobbles.”
“Self-doubt is a necessary component of any major life change,” says Gurpreet Singh, a therapist at a counselling charity. “Use your strength to overcome those feelings. A lot of good can come out of making mistakes,” says Singh. At the same time according to Pemberton, “A good way to conquer doubt is to work on your emotional resilience, but a big thing that undermines emotional resilience is overthinking. If something goes wrong, or you have a vision of how you want your life to be and it hasn’t worked out, try not to go over the things that have unsettled you. Catch your inner voice when it is saying: this is a disaster, I’ve ruined my life. A more useful thought to have is: this feeling will pass.”
Claudia knew that not choosing the top university was the right thing to do, because she did not want to find herself a decade down the line doing what she hated. “Life is too short, and it’s important to be happy,” she explains.
“It’s been really good for me,” says Bryant about his life change. “It has given me the power to do something totally different with my life.” Mostly, he has learned that, if you are unhappy with your life, you have to take a leap of faith. “You can’t just sit there and think life will improve by itself. You’re the only one who can make positive changes in your life. You have to go out and do it.”
Statements
0. The first paragraph suggests that people need to learn how to accept change in their lives. T
1. Claudia’s mom supported her decision not to attend one of the top universities.
2. Dr Carole Pemberton rejects the need for self-analysis.
3. Dr Carole Pemberton states that people should focus on the goal for the change to happen.
4. Catherine Offord was studying for a PhD in English.
5. Catherine Offord chose to implement the change gradually.
6. Victor Bryant emphasises the importance of communication when undergoing a change in life.
7. Gurpreet Singh states that self-doubt should be ignored.
8. Dr Carole Pemberton believes that looking back on your actions is important for overcoming the feeling of uncertainty.
9. Claudia justifies her choice by seeking future job satisfaction.
10. The article’s overall message is for people to be brave and embrace change in life.
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