We're back again for part two, although it is later than promised - apologies, post-graduate responsibilities had to come first this week! To tell you more about the pressures of life after university, here are some more familiar faces giving you top tips and a little more support as you approach the end of your undergraduate year! Sit back, relax and take in their words of wisdom.
Emily, 2:1 Degree in Biology from the University of Lincoln (Currently enrolled as a Masters student of Journalism at the Uni of Lincoln)
Emily has a lot of valuable advice for anyone wanting to study a masters. Firstly, she instructs: Don't be afraid to work to fund your masters. Emily explains that "most grad students have to work because funding is different to undergrad" - meaning you don't get as much of a loan from the government. This could be a big deterrent for those considering a masters degree, but she says not to let it put you off and adds that "you will have time to work. As much as the workload is heavy, you are usually in uni less and have one or two days a week to be able to work" - so get looking for a part time job! She also reminds you that you are still a student so are still entitled to all the support that other students have access to. Student life is hard, you already know that, and you shouldn't be afraid to reach out if you need to talk to anyone . Linking to this, she encourages you to make the most of still being being a student! Recommending that you should 'still enjoy sports, societies and going out'. Post-graduate studies are different to undergraduate, that's undeniable, but they're not as different as embarking upon a career would be. A masters degree is an additional stepping stone between student life and work life, and it's a great option for people that really want to narrow their academic focus, so definitely consider it!
Jessie, 2:1 Degree in English from the University of Lincoln (Currently volunteering as a TA, beginning teacher training later this year)
Don't be afraid to take some time out. You may feel a pressure to leave university and instantly get a job that relates specifically to your degree, especially if your friends and fellow graduates are doing just that, but you have to take things at your own pace - and remember, slow and steady wins the race. Jessie has spent the year volunteering in schools and working part-time alongside, which she thinks has been really beneficial for her. She explains that "It gave me the time to explore my options and make sure I wanted to go into teaching." If you need a little longer to make up your mind, it's definitely advisable that you hold off, rather than jump straight in. She's also now able to enter into her teacher training year with a lot of prior knowledge about the school system from her observations, which is so invaluable.
Hayley, 2:1 Degree in English & History from Northumbria University (Currently working for DoubleTree by The Hilton)
Don't be disheartened if you have to go back to your pre-university job at first. We've had a lot of advice centred around careers, but nobody has touched upon returning to your old job as of yet. Before university Hayley worked in retail, and having just completed her degree, she returned home and back to her old place of work. She admits that it "sounds a bit cliche but don't give up the career you had in mind when you first started uni and accept that there are still a lot of steps to complete despite having a degree." As we've said before, you don't usually leave uni and enter into your dream job. High paid, exciting and innovative jobs tend to require a lot of experience, and three years worth or lectures and seminars don't count. So although "you might not see why you should have to still be in the same retail job you were in during uni, it's okay." Hayley reminds you to "do other stuff around that job to develop yourself" - volunteering looks great and gives you invaluable experience. It's frustrating when you've bagged yourself a degree and feel so accomplished, but are still working nine to five on £7.00 an hour - just be confident that this isn't going to last forever!
Charlotte, 2:1 Degree in English from the University of Lincoln (Currently employed by Next)
Don't expect to graduate and fall straight into your chosen career. Emily touched upon this in part one of this blog post, and Charlotte is going to elaborate for you. She tells you that "there's a lot of pressure put on recent graduates to find a job and get started in your career straight away but that's not how it happens." This is so true and isn't really mentioned while you're at university. Every career takes time and it's very unlikely that you'll leave university and land a great job. You have to start small and build your way up, that's just how it is. Charlotte recommends that you "Spend time building up a portfolio or getting experience in what you want to do and also take time for yourself. You've spent three years studying towards your future but that doesn't mean all your hard work will pay off in the first week after graduation. Never stop working towards your goals, but realise that something really worth having takes time to get." So get your foot in the door, and if you're not fortunate enough to get a job in the career you're interested in, try to do some volunteer work there instead! Charlotte had another piece of advice: Don't compare yourself to other people. This one is so easy to say and not as easy to do. At uni you're on a level playing field with everyone else, moving through the course at the seem speed as your peers, just as you have always done. Charlotte explains that "Since you were 5 you've done things at a set pace, had tests at the same time and progressed socially at the same time as your peers. Now that you've graduated things that might take your classmates a few months might take you a few years. Just because they are bragging about their car or house on social media doesn't mean you'll never get there." I think it's especially hard for post-graduates to come to terms with this because they have most likely always been the people to be ahead of the crowd - academically, we're supposed to be stronger than those who didn't go to university, so we have always felt a little more like we've got things together. Now we're three years behind our friends who didn't go off to uni and have already started to make lives for themselves, and not only that, but some of our university friends are overtaking us too! Just relax, your time will come and remember that you are so young! I sometimes forget just how young I am and get all worked up, but there's no need, we have so much time to be settled and not enough to explore - so we should try to make the most of these few years where we have so much freedom!
Thank you for reading!