Congratulations you’ve graduated! After spending three years of your life studying really hard (cough) and learning the vital skills you need to become a young, responsible, independent adult (cough) you are finally thrown out into the big wide world!
First things first, let’s move back home: a place of proper cooked meals, long showers and an endless supply of heating. Many students find themselves moving back home straight after university for a variety of reasons: no money, no job… getting kicked out of student accommodation. Anyone you ask would agree that moving back home is the best idea after university, even if only for a few months/ first year.
BUT – moving home after finishing three years of independence, having to comply with dinner times, and to an extent bed times (mum’s aren’t too happy being woken up at half 3) are hard to adapt to.
If you do manage to escape back into (or remain within) an independent lifestyle, then you get the joys of paying council tax (mines about £90 a month), on top of rent (about £350), bills (so far looking at £30) and working tax (Oh the joys of adulthood!) And don’t think this will be easy because that 1000 odd pound student loan every 3 months is long gone!
All these outgoings don’t include travel expenses, phone bills and the all important social life which is still strong and healthy…right? WRONG! When I first started work I made sure I was making a conscious effort to see people and socialise, but now I’m working 7 days a week. There’s a fine chance that on a Friday or Saturday night that I’ll not want to do anything other than snuggle in bed watching a movie with my boyfriend.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be up for a cheeky bevy round a mates or a pub lunch on the rare early finish on a Sunday, but walking 20 minutes to town, cue for half an hour and pay £6/7 just to get in to somewhere to get a drink… I’d rather go round a friends house!
This, however, is all dependent on you getting a job, be it relevant to your degree or not! I myself have been particularly blessed and managed to get a well (ish) paid job relevant to my degree (teaching dance), whilst still doing children’s birthday parties at the weekend, a placement/course at a dance company, amongst various other roles! (I wasn’t lying about the 7 days a week). However, many of the people I’ve spoken to have yet to get employment let alone within their field of study. And looking for jobs is beyond painful!
Now for the very faint silver lining – no more studying, no more assignments and no more exams!
I myself, had the theory that I could remain an honouree student by moving with our campus to the beautiful city of Canterbury and living with three students. And once again, I couldn’t have been more wrong! When you’re working seven days a week and struggling to find any free time, the student lifestyle is the last thing on your mind.
The only thing I can leave you with is that your first year after uni is no piece of cake, so my advice to you:
· Grab any job you can first up
· Have a really good think about what you want to do with your life, I’m personally taking this year to figure it all out!
· Try to be realistic with your money
· Try and find time for those you love, especially if you moved far away for uni, friends and family will have missed you over the past 3 or 4 years.
· But most importantly – Try not to panic!!
I promise you, everything will be fine, totally fine.