Hello, fellow bloggers, and sorry!! After 2 months of absence, I have finally returned from a world of tear-stained essays, bottomless cups of (decaf) coffee and loooong nights in the library banging my head against the table. Despite a bruised head, my fingers have returned feeling after typing continuously, and I have finally had a shower. Yes, I am officially a graduate.
Well, not officially, I haven't actually graduated yet. But on the 26th of July, I will be proud to announce that I have completed a Bachelors degree in English Literature. Bring on the trumpets!
Soooo...um..what next? Yes, that is the question many graduates are asking themselves every single day. Did your body really deserve all those cans of Red Bull, and if so, is your now apparent bone deficiency asking you whether it was worth it? It is clear that a degree can seem like a nice, shiny addition to the standard CV, and yet only a rather small percentage of graduates actually receive a job that is related to their degree. And so the trumpets die down....and I find myself scouring the job center website for sales assistant positions in Tesco. Did I really pay £3000 a year so I could stack shelves and deal with grumpy customers with body odor?
My current part time job is in Hollister. No, I'm not a model, no, I don't live on the beach and no, I can't get you discount. I actually work in the back, with all the awesome people. Yes, my friends. It is us who do all the hard work of pulling stock and running up and down the stairs; did you see that blur of mousy brown hair behind the tanned girl with the huge white teeth? That was me, checking if we have your blue dress in a size 0.0001. Although the job is flexible, easy, and the people are great, it isn't the picture I had in my head when I dreamed up my ideal job (think Zac Efron's personal shopper...or bed maker...or pant zipper). My ultimate career choice is actually steering towards the Fashion Journalism route (I know right?!). Like many fashion related career paths, it is one full of competition, fakery, and being treated like poo before you are recognized. Whilst most jobs consider a degree as the decision maker when hiring someone, fashion relies a lot more on personal experience within the industry, whether that be part time jobs, internships, or voluntary work. The sad thing is, not many companies will even consider anyone unless they have experience...but how are you meant to gain experience when no experience = no job? *insert angry face*
While ten or fifteen years ago a Bachelor's degree would get you a job in an instant, companies are now more drawn to the CV's with Masters/PhD degrees. That means more education, more money and more essays. Are people really ready to move into even higher education to gain a job in their desired sector? I was actually considering a Masters after graduating purely because I thought it would improve my chances of getting a fashion related job. I understand doctors and psychologists, who's PhD's are essential to their progress, but will a Master's in Fashion History and Culture really help me on my way to becoming a journalist, or will I end up ripping the remainder of my hair out due to excessive amounts of work and additional dissertations?
I don't know if I will ever know whether my degree was worth it, but for now, I am enjoying relaxing in the sun, drinking plenty of milkshakes (soya, of course), and generally loving life. I can finally read a book without having to analyze why the protagonist decided to take a shit. Yay for me.
Hope everyone is having an awesome summer! (It has literally just started raining. I resent you, London.)
