THE move from youth to adulthood always begins with a question of direction.

For centuries, this direction was relatively simple. A son inherited his father’s trade, a daughter followed her mother’s skills and professions were passed down like heirlooms. But the modern world shattered those predictable patterns. Today’s young people are told they can become anything and yet the freedom of limitless choice often feels like a burden heavier than fate itself.

In Pakistan, this tension is felt most acutely at the moment of choosing a university major. Behind every anxious student stands an even more anxious parent, eager to steer the decision toward what appears safe, respectable or profitable. A generation ago, medicine and engineering were the crown jewels of education. Today certain fields are treated as the only gateways to success, elevated almost to worship. Yet here lies the irony: while every discipline has its value, forcing all students into a narrow set of fashionable subjects risks turning individuality into conformity.

Not every curious mind is meant to fit a template, not every talent thrives within the same mould. The danger is not only personal, a life spent in reluctant work but also national, for when societies suppress variety, they shrink their collective imagination. Parents, understandably, want security for their children. In an uncertain economy, the shine of a few trendy fields is sold as a........

© Pakistan Observer