Life after graduation?
Final year uni student here!
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
Reply 1
Original post by Mar1g0ld
Final year uni student here!
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
I adapted pretty well. I did basically nothing at university and I do basically nothing now.
My next steps was unemployment. Two years unemployed after my degree in July.
Original post by Mar1g0ld
Final year uni student here!
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
Hi there,
It's such a nice but scary feeling knowing you're nearly finished with University!
I'm an English Lit graduate and the good thing with humanities-based subjects is that they hold so many transferrable skills that can be applied to various job roles. You learn so much from reading, essay writing, researching etc - especially with English and History. You will definitely take a lot of those skills with you wherever you go!
My initial plan was to complete a Secondary English PGCE but I decided to seek employment in Higher Education!
However, I would always recommend making use of any careers services you may be entitled to whilst you are still a student. Some Universities may allow alumni to continue using their careers services for so many years after they graduate, so I would take advantage where you can.
I hope this helps!
Estelle 🙂
Course Enquiries Assistant
(edited 1 month ago)
Original post by Mar1g0ld
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps?
What were your next steps?
This is some time ago for me now, but I think my experience is probably still relevant for the purposes of the thread. I also did two postgraduate courses, so I'll take this from the end of that. I studied Law, so it is humanities but with a more defined career path. I did the Bar course, so my aim was always to become a barrister and after finishing the course I was looking for any sort of relevant job role. And I just couldn't find one.
It took me about five months to find a relevant job. I appreciate that that's not necessarily even a long job search by the standards that some will experience today, but it was a massive shock to go from eight years of academia where you have exams every year and are well aware of your goals and expectations (counting GCSE through to the Bar course), to just being cast adrift in the world where nothing comes automatically to you at all and your frame of reference has changed entirely. I really struggled in those months, particularly as my then girlfriend (now wife) and other housemate at the time both had a defined path that they were on, whereas I was struggling to make any sort of progress at all.
Once I got into a relevant job role, things did improve significantly, because I had a sense of purpose in that role. It's the sort of role that applicants who want to be barristers nowadays can get stuck in, but having a job was a significant shift from looking for one. It was something I could concentrate on and apply myself to day to day, and that was valuable.
For your purposes, you may or may not have decided on a next step. If you haven't, that's ok. You have absolutely loads of time to make that decision. As has been said, you can and should make use of the university's resources while you're still there, but you shouldn't feel pressure to map out the rest of your life or even your near future. You do have the luxury of choice and a wide range of options that will not be available to you as and when you do settle into a career, want to start a family etc. Life becomes more restrictive in that regard as you get older, so take advantage of your flexibility now.
For when you do choose a particular direction, I would take two related lessons from my experience. The first is that any transition takes time to adjust to, and moving from academia to the real world is a massive transition. Don't get everything to click into place immediately, regardless of what you do. The second is to be kind to yourself and take care of your own wellbeing. That is particularly true if you struggle like I did to take that next step. I was in a pretty dark place at times, and I should have both been kinder to myself and been more proactive in seeking support from those around me. But even if you do find work quickly, or decide to do something like travelling or look to find work in another country or city, still prioritise your wellbeing during those transitions. Don't judge yourself for mistakes. You will make a lot of them, and the key is to learn from them. Don't expect yourself to adapt to every changing environment and situation immediately. And when you are under the pressure of a new job, adapting to a new culture or city, or whatever it may be, remember to step back and regularly focus on your wellbeing. Make you have a good routine. That you sleep properly. That you eat properly. That you make time for exercise. And that you make time for your interests. There will be times in your life when you cannot be exactly where you want to be with one or more of those things. But during this transition from academia to the real world, you most certainly have control over those aspects of your life, so make sure you pay attention to them and meet your own needs. It will help you to deal with the trickier moments, as well as just being generally good for you.
Reply 4
Original post by Mar1g0ld
Final year uni student here!
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
I'll be done with all of my assignments mid-April and then that's me... out in the world!
So glad it's almost done because I'm really burning the midnight oil now and ready for a change. (In other words, ready to not have the fear of clashing deadlines continuously looming over me 😂)
How did those of you who have graduated adjust to life outside of uni?
What were your next steps? (I'm a joint English Lit/ History student, so it would be especially helpful to hear about what those of you who studied humanities and critical studies are up to now!)
Good luck it’s a challenging and competitive market out there. @Thisismyunitsr can rightfully relate. I am a Computing Graduate and 2 years nearly 3 years of leaving University I have yet to find a Graduate Job. I turn 25 later on the year and where I am currently is daunting and scary.
Reply 5
Original post by Mohammed_2000
Good luck it’s a challenging and competitive market out there. @Thisismyunitsr can rightfully relate. I am a Computing Graduate and 2 years nearly 3 years of leaving University I have yet to find a Graduate Job. I turn 25 later on the year and where I am currently is daunting and scary.
But do you have a job though? You're doing better than me if you have any job whatsoever.
Reply 6
Original post by Thisismyunitsr
But do you have a job though? You're doing better than me if you have any job whatsoever.
No I do not. I’m now going to start up volunteering work related to what I want to get into does it quite meet the so called “Job” and whilst you earn no yet I am very thankful and appreciative for the opportunity.
Reply 7
Original post by Mohammed_2000
No I do not. I’m now going to start up volunteering work related to what I want to get into does it quite meet the so called “Job” and whilst you earn no yet I am very thankful and appreciative for the opportunity.
Sounds good. Hope you find something soon man.
Reply 8
Original post by Thisismyunitsr
Sounds good. Hope you find something soon man.
Same to you too
Original post by Crazy Jamie
This is some time ago for me now, but I think my experience is probably still relevant for the purposes of the thread. I also did two postgraduate courses, so I'll take this from the end of that. I studied Law, so it is humanities but with a more defined career path. I did the Bar course, so my aim was always to become a barrister and after finishing the course I was looking for any sort of relevant job role. And I just couldn't find one.
It took me about five months to find a relevant job. I appreciate that that's not necessarily even a long job search by the standards that some will experience today, but it was a massive shock to go from eight years of academia where you have exams every year and are well aware of your goals and expectations (counting GCSE through to the Bar course), to just being cast adrift in the world where nothing comes automatically to you at all and your frame of reference has changed entirely. I really struggled in those months, particularly as my then girlfriend (now wife) and other housemate at the time both had a defined path that they were on, whereas I was struggling to make any sort of progress at all.
Once I got into a relevant job role, things did improve significantly, because I had a sense of purpose in that role. It's the sort of role that applicants who want to be barristers nowadays can get stuck in, but having a job was a significant shift from looking for one. It was something I could concentrate on and apply myself to day to day, and that was valuable.
For your purposes, you may or may not have decided on a next step. If you haven't, that's ok. You have absolutely loads of time to make that decision. As has been said, you can and should make use of the university's resources while you're still there, but you shouldn't feel pressure to map out the rest of your life or even your near future. You do have the luxury of choice and a wide range of options that will not be available to you as and when you do settle into a career, want to start a family etc. Life becomes more restrictive in that regard as you get older, so take advantage of your flexibility now.
For when you do choose a particular direction, I would take two related lessons from my experience. The first is that any transition takes time to adjust to, and moving from academia to the real world is a massive transition. Don't get everything to click into place immediately, regardless of what you do. The second is to be kind to yourself and take care of your own wellbeing. That is particularly true if you struggle like I did to take that next step. I was in a pretty dark place at times, and I should have both been kinder to myself and been more proactive in seeking support from those around me. But even if you do find work quickly, or decide to do something like travelling or look to find work in another country or city, still prioritise your wellbeing during those transitions. Don't judge yourself for mistakes. You will make a lot of them, and the key is to learn from them. Don't expect yourself to adapt to every changing environment and situation immediately. And when you are under the pressure of a new job, adapting to a new culture or city, or whatever it may be, remember to step back and regularly focus on your wellbeing. Make you have a good routine. That you sleep properly. That you eat properly. That you make time for exercise. And that you make time for your interests. There will be times in your life when you cannot be exactly where you want to be with one or more of those things. But during this transition from academia to the real world, you most certainly have control over those aspects of your life, so make sure you pay attention to them and meet your own needs. It will help you to deal with the trickier moments, as well as just being generally good for you.
It took me about five months to find a relevant job. I appreciate that that's not necessarily even a long job search by the standards that some will experience today, but it was a massive shock to go from eight years of academia where you have exams every year and are well aware of your goals and expectations (counting GCSE through to the Bar course), to just being cast adrift in the world where nothing comes automatically to you at all and your frame of reference has changed entirely. I really struggled in those months, particularly as my then girlfriend (now wife) and other housemate at the time both had a defined path that they were on, whereas I was struggling to make any sort of progress at all.
Once I got into a relevant job role, things did improve significantly, because I had a sense of purpose in that role. It's the sort of role that applicants who want to be barristers nowadays can get stuck in, but having a job was a significant shift from looking for one. It was something I could concentrate on and apply myself to day to day, and that was valuable.
For your purposes, you may or may not have decided on a next step. If you haven't, that's ok. You have absolutely loads of time to make that decision. As has been said, you can and should make use of the university's resources while you're still there, but you shouldn't feel pressure to map out the rest of your life or even your near future. You do have the luxury of choice and a wide range of options that will not be available to you as and when you do settle into a career, want to start a family etc. Life becomes more restrictive in that regard as you get older, so take advantage of your flexibility now.
For when you do choose a particular direction, I would take two related lessons from my experience. The first is that any transition takes time to adjust to, and moving from academia to the real world is a massive transition. Don't get everything to click into place immediately, regardless of what you do. The second is to be kind to yourself and take care of your own wellbeing. That is particularly true if you struggle like I did to take that next step. I was in a pretty dark place at times, and I should have both been kinder to myself and been more proactive in seeking support from those around me. But even if you do find work quickly, or decide to do something like travelling or look to find work in another country or city, still prioritise your wellbeing during those transitions. Don't judge yourself for mistakes. You will make a lot of them, and the key is to learn from them. Don't expect yourself to adapt to every changing environment and situation immediately. And when you are under the pressure of a new job, adapting to a new culture or city, or whatever it may be, remember to step back and regularly focus on your wellbeing. Make you have a good routine. That you sleep properly. That you eat properly. That you make time for exercise. And that you make time for your interests. There will be times in your life when you cannot be exactly where you want to be with one or more of those things. But during this transition from academia to the real world, you most certainly have control over those aspects of your life, so make sure you pay attention to them and meet your own needs. It will help you to deal with the trickier moments, as well as just being generally good for you.
Thank you! This is really helpful. I'm not exactly sure what career path I want to go down which is, I suppose, why I am looking for a bit of inspiration. I definitely have the sense that I will also be feeling my way through things for a few years before I land upon something stable that I enjoy. It's good to know that everyone takes time to adjust to new workplaces and experiences. I will definitely keep that in mind! 😊
Original post by Edge Hill University
Hi there,
It's such a nice but scary feeling knowing you're nearly finished with University!
I'm an English Lit graduate and the good thing with humanities-based subjects is that they hold so many transferrable skills that can be applied to various job roles. You learn so much from reading, essay writing, researching etc - especially with English and History. You will definitely take a lot of those skills with you wherever you go!
My initial plan was to complete a Secondary English PGCE but I decided to seek employment in Higher Education!
However, I would always recommend making use of any careers services you may be entitled to whilst you are still a student. Some Universities may allow alumni to continue using their careers services for so many years after they graduate, so I would take advantage where you can.
I hope this helps!
Estelle 🙂
Course Enquiries Assistant
It's such a nice but scary feeling knowing you're nearly finished with University!
I'm an English Lit graduate and the good thing with humanities-based subjects is that they hold so many transferrable skills that can be applied to various job roles. You learn so much from reading, essay writing, researching etc - especially with English and History. You will definitely take a lot of those skills with you wherever you go!
My initial plan was to complete a Secondary English PGCE but I decided to seek employment in Higher Education!
However, I would always recommend making use of any careers services you may be entitled to whilst you are still a student. Some Universities may allow alumni to continue using their careers services for so many years after they graduate, so I would take advantage where you can.
I hope this helps!
Estelle 🙂
Course Enquiries Assistant
That's very helpful. Thank you! ☺️
Reply 11
Original post by Mar1g0ld
Thank you! This is really helpful. I'm not exactly sure what career path I want to go down which is, I suppose, why I am looking for a bit of inspiration. I definitely have the sense that I will also be feeling my way through things for a few years before I land upon something stable that I enjoy. It's good to know that everyone takes time to adjust to new workplaces and experiences. I will definitely keep that in mind! 😊
My key advice is don't stop learning - just remember that in the workplace you're learning from experience rather than formally.
Sometimes what you'll learn is: "I hate this task" or "this environment is not for me" - it can be upsetting if you're in a job or workplace that doesn't suit you but learning about what does (and doesn't) suit you is still a good use of your time
I'd highly recommend volunteering (your local council will often have listing of available opportunities) for trying out new environments and roles - as well as building up your skills and experiences. Even if you end up falling into a job straight away volunteering in your free time will normally be a really positive experience and will often help you with your paid work too
Reply 12
Original post by Mohammed_2000
Same to you too
Thanks man!
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