I'm guessing the title of this post is pretty self explanatory, right? As you may have predicted by the seemingly "send help, I am struggling life decision" topic, yes, I am struggling to decide what to do once I graduate. There are some questions I am continuously asking myself regarding life after graduation, so I thought I would share in hopes that someone else feels the same.
What job should I get?
Well, truth be told, all the jobs I am genuinely interested in don't seem to exist, or if they do, I don't have enough experience. Like, what is that all about? A job advertised on a graduate site but they want you to have 5 years experience in a similar role...ok then. I don't believe that graduates, or even young people in general for that matter, are given enough guidance on what to do once they finish their studies. If you, like me, aren't studying a degree which leads to a specific job, it can be very daunting and almost impossible to investigate every job opportunity and find that one that is perfect for you.
Where am I going to live?
I do not want to rent anywhere, and obviously as a student with a £27,000 debt purely in tuition fees, I cannot afford to buy a house. On the other hand, moving back in with my parents seems almost impossible. Don't get me wrong, I adore my family, but once you have spent three years living independently, with your friends, it can be a struggle to imagine living back at home where you are going to be expected to do chores and tell your parents what you are doing all the time. It's just not for me, but I know its a situation I will, like most other graduates, find myself in for a few years (unless I win the lottery...someone rig it for me?!)
How am I ever going to buy a house?
If I get an average job, earning around £22,000 a year, after tax is taken off I am really not looking at a huge income, meaning that with my student debt taken into account, any mortgage I apply for is likely to be fairly small. In the area I grew up in, a small flat costs around £220,000, which is insane considering what that would buy you up north. The housing prospects for young people is pretty depressing if you ask me.
How am I ever going to be able to travel the world?
All I dream of doing is travelling. I have an extensive list of places I want to visit, and I fear that once I am in a full time job, travelling is just going to be impossible. Saying this, I also cannot afford to travel before I get a full time job. What is the solution?!
How will I ever afford a Chanel Handbag?
I am half kidding about this one, but seriously, if you are saving for a house, and trying to live a fairly social life, how the hell am I supposed to treat myself to the material things I want?
Currently, I am just spending any spare time I have searching for jobs which sound super interesting, and although they may not be my 'dream job', or something I want to do for the rest of my life, it's making me feel a little more secure knowing that I have applied for jobs, and that there are some interesting jobs out there. I'm also extensively investigating how much each trip I want to do will cost me, so I can work out where I can go in the Summer, and which places I can tick off my bucket list in the near future.
I guess this post was a little bit of a life update, and a little bit of a rant. But I would love to know if any of you are in the same position as me? What you are doing to overcome this, or if you aren't in my position any longer and have overcome this in the past, how?!