Finished Uni, Confused and Have no Idea What to do?

Been there done that and got the bloody t-shirt.

I left University in early July, although only graduated in NoVeMeBeR but that’s a separate issue. Anyway, yes, I left university and jumped straight into my summer plans, if you have read broke bitches abroad you will know, (Anyone who wants to read what we got up to, It is in our travelling section.)

Throughout third year I opted to be more present than concern myself with my future. This is arguably a good thing, it made me happy on the daily and I avoided the gruelling process of grad scheme applications. On the other hand, however, once my European summer was over I was left with no structure, no money and no bloody idea what I was going to do next. It’s safe to say I had a few holiday blues that turned into some severe life blues.

Mid-August hit and I had realised I was no longer part of an establishment, a scary thought for someone who has spent their life being part of one. I could no longer go to the art exhibitions for free, use the student discount and that was the end of free dental hygiene. I am definitely focussing on the wrong thing here but you get the point, I had to start thinking and doing for myself… Shock… horror.

I sound very dramatic and obviously I am but the point I am attempting to make is that it was time to decide the future. As the most indecisive person possibly ever to exist (I should probably work on that) this was hard. I always had a rough life plan; School, get your GCSE’s done, then A levels then go to Uni. And that was it, as far as my plan was concerned. So being classic Mimi who claims she likes living presently rather than making decisions that will benefit future her, she was pretty stuck. I love how I am now talking in third person, that’s going to get confusing.

Anyway, I got my paper and pen out and sat at a desk with my laptop on google. After looking at my bank account, and the £360 water bill we had to pay from our uni house I started frantically scrolling on indeed.

I typed in marketing, put the location to London and applied to any job that was over £22,000 a year. This was all fun and games until I got a few replies. Suddenly it all became real, and my applications were reaching real people rather than just flying off into my computer screen. I did some follow up online interviews but my workxiety was increasing day by day. As soon as I was asked to come into an office to do a face to face interview, I suddenly felt like I was 10 years old and about to drive a car far too young, not ready and petrified.

This made me realise how NOT ready I was for the workplace. I also had caught what I like to call the travel bug (to quote my queen Miranda, if you don’t know please get to know). So suddenly I made the decision to go travelling.

This decision called for two more decisions, firstly a job, where will I get the money to climb out of my overdraft and also fund a 3+ month holiday? And secondly where the bloody hell will I travel to?

First on the agenda was the job, I attempted a job as a call centre agent. This was not fun. I basically took orders of people over 60 for a garden and household company. It was very mundane and as much as I love old people I don’t need to be ordering their knickers and boxers for them repetitively AlL DaY LoNg with little break. That’s all I’m going to say on that subject.

So, after cancelling that job I got a job in a cheese and wine bar, two of my favourite things so it sounded perfect! I am currently still working there 2 months later so that speaks for itself. Hospitality is rough at times but the tips are good which explains the above.

Finally I made the decision about where I will be going, I decided on Australia, followed by some travelling around south-east Asia. I have three reasons for this decision: Sexy surfer men, sexy surfer men and sexy surfer men with Australian accents. No, but seriously, I need to marry an Australian sexy surfer man.

I have actually booked my flights to Australia today so the next time I have to scrape melted cheese of a cheese board again I will be thinking of that.

It has not always been easy though; Some weeks in hospitality are painful but despite the unsociable working hours I have managed to cling onto a bit of my social life over the last couple of months, which has kept me going. I went to Edinburgh to visit friends for a few days, I have been back to Bristol a few times to see my fellow girl about town Lil, and I have visited my sister and her friends in her new Clapham home! The Christmas cheer is also keeping me positive! Hopefully not Covid positive though! ! ! ! (That was a really bad joke I do apologise.)

Overall, you can do this! I Anyone feeling lost and confused after uni it will all work itself out! Going from University living with your friends to living at your family home working in hospitality is a degrading transition and can be tricky at times but there will be a time where you will be in the Indian ocean sipping on a cheap cocktail and hopefully we won’t ever remember the loo’s we scrubbed to get there.

By Mimi 7/12/22