STUDENT SHOUT: School's out forever '“ it's time to dive in

Eleni Harvey is a journalism student at University of Portsmouth. Here she looks over her time at uni '“ and the future...
Eleni is looking forward to graduation, with a degree of trepidationEleni is looking forward to graduation, with a degree of trepidation
Eleni is looking forward to graduation, with a degree of trepidation

The last deadlines are in and exams are finished, my time at university is almost over.

Everything I have worked for is almost here.

It’s time to take the world by storm and make a life for myself as a real grown up.

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But how do I even do that? I have spent the past 17 years of my mere 21 years of life in the education system.

My comfort blanket is about to be ripped away and everything I know is about to change. There will be no more six-week summer holidays and no more lecturers or teachers to tell me how to succeed.

It’s time to stand on my own two feet.

Now that I am finished with university and waiting for graduation, everyone’s favourite question seems to be: ‘What are you going to do now?’

The organised have an answer to that question. The hopeful have an idea of how they want to answer it. And the others just want the world to stop spinning and for time to slow down.

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Nonetheless, it’s time to apply for a career in the big wide world.

I’m lucky, my degree and time at university has determined in my mind what I want from my work life. I know people that have worked so hard for these past three years only to realise they don’t want to continue pursuing the same subject – what a waste of £9,000 .

But we are here now whether we like it or not.

Come September we are no longer students and we’re supposed to have everything figured out.

Sure, there are people there to help you find a job, but how do you prepare yourself for the unknown world of life outside the education system?

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This is a big leap. I feel ready but there is no way to know for sure if I am.

It feels a bit like my first day of swimming lessons, time to take the plunge.

So here goes, I’m going to close my eyes, count to three and jump in.