That thing called full time employment

Last Easter, before I’d even began revision for my final exams, I managed to secure a job as an editorial assistant for a publication in London. My plans to become a millionaire and sail my yacht around the world were put on a hold for a job I could not refuse. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I’d land in the middle of such an incredible team of people, who are so open to teaching me anything I wish to learn.

The experience I have gained in the last two months is immeasurable and I can’t begin to explain how blessed I feel to have been given such a great opportunity. That said – working full time is hard! The hours aren’t really the issue, I know how to put a full day of work in; it’s more the timing that’s the problem. I’ve been so used to working on my own schedule, taking a nap when needed or going for a walk to clear my head when I need a moment to myself; I find it hard to work within specific hours.

Routine also happens to be lethal; time flies so quickly that if I blink I could possibly miss an entire month. My boss keeps telling me that it’ll be Christmas before I know it, and if the last two months are anything to go by, then she’s certainly on to something. The hour commute each way is something I’ve gotten used to and actually proves to be valuable reading time – plus there’s a gym in my building which makes exercising extremely convenient (I could very well have a six pack by the end of the year), but I can’t help but feel concerned that I’ll be a year older in no time.

Despite the lack of cat naps and the apparent loss of time, my role here is so diverse it allows me to get stuck into so many different projects, which keeps things interesting and helps me learn more each day. With savings in my bank account, and the amount of experience I’m going to get here – I’ll be a millionaire sailing around the world on my yacht in no time.

Graduation

It's official, I have graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London, with a degree in History. I would love to say that Graduation was one of the happiest days of my life, but honestly, I think the day was intended more for the benefit of my family than myself. My mum got to watch me put on a silly hat and collect my scroll, after three years of constant house moves, late night phone calls and a severely stressed out daughter. I guess the day is their reward for all the love and support throughout the very turbulent journey of earning a degree.

For me, university finished weeks before, when I put on a princess dress and attended the Summer Ball with my friends, just after our final exams. I could feel myself finally relax, knowing I had done my best and was finally free. That new found freedom, although only temporary as I managed to secure a job before I graduated, was embraced fully. To know that nothing hangs over your head, no looming dissertation or exam timetable waiting for you in the future is a wonderful thing. For the first time, since I was five years old, I had left the grasp of formal education.

Finding out that I was graduating with a 2:1 was more of a relief than anything else, thus graduation day seemed like more of a formality to me. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, I got to spend time with my friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in a while, and take lots of photos with my family. The day however, seemed to involve a lot of waiting around, and sadly a hefty amount of rain - and me being the super organised human being that I am, left my umbrella back home in London.

The last three years have been incredible (though during the weeks of revision and essay deadlines I may not have agreed) and I'm sure in the future Roho will be sorely missed... though at the moment I'm pretty excited to move on and enjoy the next phase of this crazy adventure called life.