Having left Southampton several months ago and rather painfully parting with my student ways, some of which I must admit I was more pleased to see the back of than others, (FYI damp, mouldy houses and grumpy landlords does not constitute as ‘living the dream’) I returned to the city last week to finally graduate!
After the initial panic of the robes and cap, and not forgetting the dreaded ‘This is Your Life’ walk in high heels, the day was a lovely celebration of the best three years of my life and a reminder that as one door closes another one, perhaps after a long wait, will eventually open.
Six months after finishing university I’m slowly starting to shift the post graduate depression. Returning home after three independent years wasn’t something I ever envisaged, but unfortunately I quickly learnt that your dream job doesn’t just land in your lap, unless you are extremely lucky of course. My naivety allowed me to assume that as soon as I graduated I’d be donning my sharp pencil skirt and crisp jacket and heading off to my £25,000 a year job in central London. I had a degree, what more could an employer ever want? How wrong I was as I sit here on a much needed day off from my full time, minimum wage job making endless cups of coffee and serving copious amounts of cake to grumpy Costa lovers. Service with a smile.
Six months after finishing university I’m slowly starting to shift the post graduate depression. Returning home after three independent years wasn’t something I ever envisaged, but unfortunately I quickly learnt that your dream job doesn’t just land in your lap, unless you are extremely lucky of course. My naivety allowed me to assume that as soon as I graduated I’d be donning my sharp pencil skirt and crisp jacket and heading off to my £25,000 a year job in central London. I had a degree, what more could an employer ever want? How wrong I was as I sit here on a much needed day off from my full time, minimum wage job making endless cups of coffee and serving copious amounts of cake to grumpy Costa lovers. Service with a smile.
My third year of university instilled some much needed drive and determination, allowing me to see that all work and no play really does pay off; something which I keep reminding myself as I sit here tweaking my CV for the 100th time and sending off yet another application form. The only thing that helps me to stay positive about the lack of employment offers I’m receiving is the realisation that I’m not alone. Many graduates are the in the exact same shoes as me and living in hope is the only way to stop myself from hibernating until I finally receive some much needed happiness in my email inbox.
The big bad world really is as scary as I always imagined it would be. Can I go back to living the student dream in my moudly house now please?
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