Life After Uni: Stop Panicking!

So, I have been officially graduated from university for over a year now (what the hell!!!). It feels like yesterday I was turning up for my first day. A plucky young lad who was eager to boss uni and get A grades all the way through. That was all good until I found out I only needed a D- to pass into second year...

But life after uni??? How are we meant to survive? Job market is tougher than ever. Getting on the property ladder isn't what it used to be. We've paid, quite frankly, a ridiculous sum of money to gain this degree, but not a lot to show for it at the moment. It's as if we're supposed to just 'make do' for the time being.  

The nostalgia of being away from uni, University of Worcester more specifically, hits me at least a couple of times a week. Recently, it was a video made of Worcester at sun rise which brought all those memories rushing back. Hit me right in the feels. Simply seeing my home for three years in such beauty made we want to go running back!

There's so much we miss. The many nights out, spontaneous and planned. Having your own space, whilst also having your mates just a room away. Procrastination doesn't even feel the same away from uni. I need that over hanging guilt of all the work I had due, as I continued to press play on my latest Netflix series!

Now a year later, and I think a lot of us would imagine we would be a lot further down the line than we are. A job in the industry we want. Our own place to live. Truth is these things are much tougher these days. Every job wants experience, and we all have the same response. "How am I meant to have experience if you won't give me a job?"

But let's not panic. Things take time. We have to put in the hard graft now, but it will all pay off in a few years. 

I only know a few people who have left uni and within six months found themselves in a job they want as a career. Must be nice... 

But you don't need to compare yourself to someone who has already got their ideal job. That doesn't make you a failure. 

What frustrates me is when people who have had that luck take it for granted. There's one I know of who is complaining about their work and moaning they aren't progressing enough. If you have a job in your industry out of uni, I think you should count yourself very lucky and definitely not complain. Especially when there are people who are still having to put in the hard graft to find their dream job, as well as work full-time to simply have some sort of income.

But seriously, don't panic if you're not someone like I've described above. I'm in the same situation. It's frustrating. Working full-time in a job you don't really want to be in, to just go home and find yourself working full-time again in an attempt to get you where you want to be. But it's the way the world works at the moment. 

You're still young. You haven't even scraped the surface of your working career, so there is no need to worry about not landing your dream job just yet. Travel. Try new things. I've taken on new online courses and started this blog. Just experiment. But also know that you need to put in the work. It won't happen over night, but you have time for that not to be an issue.

The degree won't go to waste, no matter what you fall into. There are skills you will have learnt at uni that will be vital for you in your working life. The majority of jobs look for people with a degree-level qualification. It is still seen as desirable for employers, even if the degree isn't in their field of work.

But the thing to remember is you're not alone. The majority of graduates will be in a similar position. Things will come good. You're not deciding the rest of your life, you're choosing the next suitable step for you. Panicking and worrying won't help, working hard and keeping focused will. 

It may seem like a pain at the moment, but it will feel so good when you make it.

A. Weavers

You can read my other blogs at FeedTheSport and ScriptEye.