Life’s classroom: Why your desk doesn’t define your destiny

Ashford Kimani/photo file

In every school across the world, students sit in neat rows of desks, facing their teachers, preparing for exams and dreaming of the future. If you look at a class photo, everyone appears equal – same uniforms, same pens, same struggles. But years later, when life scatters everyone into different paths, the picture changes. Some classmates will become doctors, teachers, engineers, or entrepreneurs. Others will end up as farmers, drivers, YouTubers or homemakers. Some will face struggles like unemployment, depression, or broken families. A few will sadly not even live to see old age.

This truth is beautifully but painfully captured in the image of an empty exam hall with desks labeled not just with professions, but also with life situations like “unemployed,” “widow,” “alcoholic,” and “dead.” It is a reminder that life is unpredictable. But it is also a message of hope: no desk defines destiny.

As a student, you may feel that your whole life hangs on the results of an exam. Society constantly repeats that if you score an A, you will succeed, and if you fail, your life is ruined. But look closely at that picture—life does not follow one straight line. Some with top grades end up struggling; some with average grades build empires or discover unique talents. Your desk in the classroom is not your final seat in life.

What matters most is not just academic performance but also resilience, creativity, and character. A grade can open doors, yes, but it is your mindset that will determine how far you go. Many innovators, artists, and entrepreneurs did not top their classes, yet they learned to think differently and to persevere when life tested them. Success is not about never failing; it is about refusing to quit even when you do.

The desks labeled “doctor” or “engineer” remind us of ambition and determination. They represent the fruits of hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. If your dream is to sit in such a chair, keep working diligently. But remember also the “farmer” and the “bus driver”—their contribution to society is just as essential. Without farmers, there is no food; without drivers, cities stop moving. No career is too small when it is done with excellence.

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Equally, the desks labeled with struggles like “depressed,” “unemployed,” or “alcoholic” remind us of the importance of mental health and choices. Life is not just about passing exams—it is also about learning to manage stress, relationships and personal decisions. As students, you must learn that success without balance can lead to collapse. Guard your mental health, seek help when you need it and avoid destructive choices that may derail your dreams.

The “dead” desks are perhaps the most sobering. They remind us that life is fragile, that tomorrow is never promised. This should not scare you but inspire you to live each day with purpose. Use your time wisely, respect your teachers, value your classmates and take your opportunities seriously. You never know which moment might change your story forever.

For students reading this today, here is the truth: life will not test you only with mathematics or literature; it will test you with disappointments, loss, temptation and hardship. But just like in school, preparation makes the difference. Build your resilience now. Learn discipline now. Practice kindness now. Develop your talents beyond books – sports, music, debate, leadership, coding, or farming. Life respects those who are well-rounded, adaptable and courageous.

Above all, stop comparing yourself too much with classmates. The friend who scores higher than you today may not necessarily live a better life tomorrow. The quiet student at the back might one day employ hundreds. The playful one might discover their genius later in unexpected ways. Everyone is running their own race, on their own timetable. Focus on improving yourself every day and do not let jealousy or shame define you.

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The greatest lesson from that picture of empty desks is this: school is just one chapter, not the whole book of life. Do your best in exams, but remember that life will write many more exams after school – exams of honesty, perseverance, friendship, faith, and resilience. If you keep preparing your heart and mind, you will pass those as well.

So, the next time you sit at your desk in class, don’t see it as just a place for tests. See it as training for life. Whatever label ends up on your future desk – doctor, teacher, entrepreneur, farmer, artist or even something that does not exist today – make sure it is written with dignity, courage and hope.

Your story is still unfolding. And unlike school exams, in the exam of life, you are allowed to retake tests, change answers and start over again. Only you cannot repeat. That means no matter where you sit now, your final desk has not yet been assigned. You still have the power to shape it.

So study hard, dream big, stay strong and remember: the seat that matters most is not the one society assigns you but the one you choose to build for yourself.

By Ashford Kimani

Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub County and serves as Dean of Studies

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