Antoun el-Fata, "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency

When Dreams Collide with the Real World...

To Official Exam Students: They Don’t Teach You This in School!

There’s something deeply moving about the eager spark in the eyes of high school seniors, young men and women standing on the threshold between adolescence and adulthood, preparing to leave behind the familiar rhythms of school life and step into the vast unknown of university and beyond. Their joy is often contagious, expressed in vibrant street parades and festive celebrations that mark the closing days of the academic year. These moments brim with the energy of dreams in full bloom, just before the focus shifts toward official exam preparations.

At this stage of life, it’s easy, and perhaps natural, for young people to believe the world is theirs for the taking. They feel invincible, convinced that every dream is within reach and that nothing lies beyond their control. This optimism is vital; without it, progress and ambition would stall. Hope, after all, is what keeps societies alive.

Yet, as we return to our daily reality, it becomes crucial to introduce a different perspective, one that reflects the hard truths of life. Perhaps what our students need most is a new subject in their curriculum: "The real world".

Because in that world, enthusiasm often fades. Dreams may dissolve gradually. And when dreams begin to die, the human spirit can quietly follow. Death doesn’t always arrive with finality and grief. Sometimes, it’s the slow erosion of purpose and belief.

This isn’t just a Lebanese story. Even in the most powerful nations, the United States included, no system guarantees that youth will achieve all their dreams, or even have equal chances. The barriers aren’t always about skills or ambition; often, they’re shaped by politics, economics, social affiliations, cultural limitations, or personal circumstances.

Young minds are fed with ideals and aspirations. But eventually, reality reclaims them, as it always does. This is why awareness of these forces must begin early, long before students stand at the gate of adulthood.

Even opportunities abroad, whether through immigration or foreign study, are not always the golden tickets they appear to be. Sometimes, they become the very places where illusions collapse, leaving young people disoriented, estranged, or forced to choose between two difficult paths: Returning home with dashed hopes, or settling into an unfamiliar life filled with compromises.

Now we find ourselves in May, the turning point for final-year students. A time for celebration, yes, but also a countdown to exams and, more significantly, to the real tests of life that await beyond the classroom. In a world where even the brightest tomorrows are shadowed by uncertainty, how do we prepare them?

Who teaches them about reality, honestly, clearly, and without sugarcoating? Who equips them to navigate a world that offers no refunds, no guaranteed outcomes, and no tuition-based illusions?

In the end, "The real world" is the most honest teacher of all. It doesn't flatter. It doesn’t promise. But it always tells the truth.