LIFE AFTER UNIVERSITY
So... it's been a while since I have been writing on here.
It feels as though I'm been on fast forward since I graduated back in July. and suddenly it's nearly 2019 and I'll be coming up to the 6 month mark in my new job.
I feel students' are put under so much pressure to secure a job after university when so many of us still want to spend time thinking through their prospects. The common perception is to get into a graduate job as soon as you finish university. That was my view when I was younger and I've come to realise it's okay to take a step back and think it through. This is why I wanted to write about my experiences as a graduate.
Everyone talks about how moving out from your parents home and into uni halls can be tough. But so is the period after you've gotten your degree. Is there a taboo for talking about our feelings and mental health after university? Or is it just me that found it hard? I questioned this so many times as no one I knew had voiced it.
One thing that I find difficult since leaving university is not having my closest friends just down the road from me. It can be really tough moving back into your home and losing your independence which you'd had for 3 years living with friends. For me it kind of felt like I was back into my old routine and I was back to square one. I did feel I had no money and no experience outside of university. The outside world kinda scared me. It sucked. I grew more worried about my future and felt like I had to make some form of plan.
Don't get me wrong, it is good to plan. I like to be organised just in day to day life, but when it's your future it's tricky. Plan A was for me to go on a ski season- get some experience working whilst living in the Alps for 5 months doing what I love everyday- skiing. This didn't go to plan. Some applications were unsuccessful and successful and though I did have interviews lined up, unfortunately life doesn't develop as you expect it to. Often it is either the right time, right place scenario or taking an opportunity that you weren't expecting can pick you up.
I secured myself a temporary job in a sales role. I had never had any experience in sales, but taking the opportunity to go for an interview mapped everything out for me- taking each step at a time. Don't think about the big picture. Take every opportunity that comes to you as it all helps in your decision making.
I'm still figuring out what I want to do as a career and I'm learning it's okay to still be working this out. But having a job at the moment is making me feel more confident and comfortable for the next step. I'm earning and learning- cheesy but true!
For future graduates - it's okay to not be okay and to struggle finding your feet after university. I hope this post somewhat helps in reaching out to fellow graduates or future graduates who worry about their plans post uni! I feel it should be raised more with universities as it is kind of pushed aside after you graduate. No one had really addressed how low it can be after your degree and I didn't really have much pre warning or thought about it until I had left and it suddenly hit me. That was that. I was finished and I felt like I needed to have my life together. It was like I was in water but I couldn't swim. It was overwhelming but all you need to do is take each step at a time.
Emma x
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