This, like every other good piece, is about a girl. I kid.

Over the past year I have been thinking a lot about the future, and what it holds for me, both in and after I am done with this my immediate environment. Initially, I won't lie, it looked scary, and not just for a particular industry: there is intense competition at all levels and in all disciplines, and the quality is insanely high out there. People are not smiling anymore. Being Nigerian painted an even bleaker picture, based on the very uncertain economic climate that the country is temporarily experiencing.

It is not a call to be scared, or be concerned that things will not work out as I envisioned. Instead what it has woken up in me is a spirit to conquer and dominate my world. It has fanned the flame in me to gather more information, monetize more of my skills, and begin to piece together the empire that would have my name on it one day.

It is summer now, and unlike other summers when I start off with a resolution to achieve something and end up not accomplishing so much, I have taken steps to start to ensure I am future proof. I have sourced jobs online, particularly in my favorite field of graphics design, and I am getting better informed and skilled. I have also used this opportunity to increase my knowledge base, and I have picked up some courses online that would help me to be better and well rounded at what I do. I will give an example. I do graphics and logo design using Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw among other software, so this summer, I am going to also learn Adobe Illustrator to help me in my vector work, and also Adobe After Effects which is going to teach me animation skills. I do realize and respect that more people would be interested in making money now than seeking more education, but with this information, you dig an even deeper foundation on which to build your future.

There are various resources that could be used to gain this information online, some of them free, some premium. Resources like these include Udemy (my favorite), Udacity, Alison, EdX, Coursera, Lynda among many others. Thousands of courses to learn from, and lots of experienced tutors willing to share their knowledge with you.

Two things I must add here. First of all, decide what field exactly you want to learn in. If you try to learn from fields of management, finance, nutrition, management, politics, graphics design all within the same period, specialization could be very challenging, and at the end of it all, you might feel confused as to what you have actually learned because of the diversity of knowledge you now have. Think about it. Pick one area, and make yourself vast in it.

It also does not need to concern what you are currently involved in, whether you are a student or you're working. An engineering student with certification and education in personnel management appears as a more rounded individual, and is more appealing to employers. But whatever you try to get involved in, it is advisable that it has some use to what you're doing currently, making you more indispensable at what you do.

The summer still has a way to go. It's all good that your parents can take care of you for now, as is their responsibility to do, but they should not do it forever. All I'm saying is start from now to make sure that in the next 5 to 10 years, you will be comfortably financially independent, and ready to take on the responsibility of other people.

ONONIWU IKECHUKWU