This post was scheduled for a few months ago but, as is often the case, life gets in the way. For us, the last few weeks have been spent working on the website refresh (which we hope you love as much as we do!), re-adjusting to working from home and, like the rest of the world, adapting to the effects of the context we’re living in (not quite ready to drop the c-bomb). It seems futile to chat about graduation and the effects of leaving behind the iron-clad grip routine of higher education but, as the main focus of the feature is uncertainty, we actually cannot think of a better time to post it.
Photo Credits: Grad Life Myths
Away from the familiar structure, the conviviality of living in a big shared house and the reassuring nature of a routine filled to the brim, the mind inevitably starts to wonder. As many students across the country will not experience a traditional graduation ceremony in the summer to mark a pivotal moment in their lives or graduates fresh out of University may have been furloughed in their first-ever jobs, uncertainty plays a leading role. The multitude of questions which arise after graduation (including but not limited to am I doing it right? Where are the instructions? What are my friends doing? Why are they doing that? But most importantly am I doing it too? and if I am doing it too, am I doing it right?) are heightened. For this reason, we were delighted to chat with Hannah from Grad Life Myths who is single-handedly busting myths about life as a graduate with a refreshing, tongue-in-cheek approach.
What led you to start #GradLifeMyths?
I started Grad Life Myths after graduating from my undergrad and quickly realising that my lifelong career path of teaching was a no-go for me. I was in a slump professionally and also lusting after the care-free living I saw my students friends post about. If I was this discontent with grad life, surely other people felt the same personal conflicts.
What do you find is the most common misconception regarding life after University?
Our University educations foster the belief that we’ll enter the workforce fully trained. In reality, a degree is an entry point to the job market. There’s still so much learning we need to do and it’s fine if you have no idea where your career path will go.
What does your day to day look like and how do you juggle employment with side projects / hobbies?
Love this question. I’m currently studying my MA full-time and working in marketing 20 hours a week. This means that any free time needs to be utilised very well. To be honest though, I really enjoy the relief that the two vocations provide from one another. Students are used to fitting in uni work wherever they can (in between hangovers, if you’re anything like me), so I’m still in the mindset that a free hour equals time to get some work done in some shape or form.
In terms of those post-uni blues, what is the best way, in your opinion, to expand your social circle after uni and connect with like-minded individuals?
Throw yourself into your passions. Whether they’re professional or personal, being fully invested in your goals will lead you to the people who occupy the same space as you. I found some of my best grown-up life friends in the marketing world. If you’re not sure what those passions are, try everything – within legal reason!
See what we mean about that tongue-in-cheek approach? We hope you enjoyed this interview – maybe, the over-simplistic and deeply unsatisfying answer is that we crave a perfection that isn’t healthy, productive or realistic. Maybe, every shift in life brings with it a period of uncertainty, re-adjustment and necessity to throw everything on the table, take a good look at it and slowly come to our own conclusions which may not be the same as our old school friends’ or uni mates’. Maybe, it’s okay for life to be an odd limbo of absolutely killing it one day and struggling to parallel park on another. Maybe, just maybe, we could cut ourselves some slack and take each season as it comes – what a novel concept, eh? You can find Hannah’s website here and her Instagram page here. Meanwhile, as always, we can comment the feature together over on Instagram and Twitter.
Keep Safe,
The Squiggles Team X
