Prasanth Selvam graduated from the University of Manchester in 2016 and was working towards getting called to the bar when he decided to pursue his passion and become a pilot instead.
He has since completed his training and is now a qualified pilot. He uses the knowledge he gained in law school in his stint as a unionist and activist for the benefit and welfare of his fellow aviators. In his free time, he enjoys watching documentaries and spending time chilling with his friends over a cold pint of beer.
This letter is addressed to his younger self at the end of his second year in law school.
Dear Prasanth,
It is going to be great. Trust me.
Right now, you’re just about finishing your second year at law school. It hasn’t been great. You enjoy studying law, but somehow the results don’t show for it. You feel like you’ve disappointed yourself and our parents. Dad’s not talking to you because he’s upset at your results. You feel horrible. Trust me, I know – I’ve been there before. But it’s going to be great.
You’ve had a wonderful life so far. Loving family and friends, amazing opportunities that most could only dream of. You feel like you’ve plateaued, and life thereafter isn’t going to be as amazing. But it’s going to be great.
You have an in-principle guarantee for a RLT and a TC in Singapore with a big 4 firm. There’s a certain indescribable feeling that comes with that. You have a job even before you’ve graduated! But let me tell you a secret – it’s not gonna work out. The 2:2 you come back with isn’t going to be enough for them to justify a spot for you. You’re going to feel worthless and doubt yourself at every step. But it’s going to be great.
You’ll come back to Singapore with your degree and a saviour will grant you a place in his firm to do your RLT. He’ll do some soul searching with you and bring out the truth you’ve told very few in the legal fraternity – you don’t mind practicing law, but all you want is to become a pilot. He’ll tell you that you should go do what you actually want to do, while offering you the opportunity to use his firm as a back-up plan. Treasure these friends in your life, they have the ability to make or break you. You’ll have so many factors stacked against you, and you’ll be in constant fear that you might fail in your endeavour. But it’s going to be great.
Without telling anyone at home, you’ve applied to become a pilot and for some reason, they haven’t replied to your application after what seems like an eternity. It will worry you, and you will wait by the phone every day with bated breath. But that day will come. And surprise surprise, that call will come. You will go through the many interview stages and give your all to become a suitable candidate. That hard work will bear fruit. You will get in. Of course, a part of you is worried if you have left the known devil for an unknown angel. There will always be a whispering voice of doubt. But it’s going to be great.
The first two years after you join will pass in an instant. You’ll have the best of times and the worst of times. You’ll have your rock bottom moments, wondering if you should have just stayed in the legal profession. You will prevail. Eventually, you’ll complete your training and come out successfully as a qualified professional pilot. At that point, Dad will tell you how proud he is of you – something no Asian parent does very often. And at that point you’ll realise that it isn’t going to be great; it has always been.
To the great times ahead,
Prasanth