Saturday 17 May 2014

365 Days in the ‘Real World…’

NB: Whilst studying for my undergraduate degree I enjoyed it and I liked learning in an institutionalised environment. However as my three years of Uni neared its end, I started to find myself being ‘over’ institutionalised education and itching to get out into the real world and learn by doing, experiencing and living, instead of sitting in a lecture hall and being talked at. I was entering a new stage of my life and with that came new desires and needs to fulfil my life.

Today is a glorious day! Because today marks a year since I finished my last undergraduate exam! 365.242 fabulous stress free days! 8765.81 hours in the real world! 525949 minutes of learning by living! Isn’t life just ‘bloody’ (in the words of Ron Weasley) fantastic!

So what have I learnt in those 3.156e+7 seconds outside the education system (which, dominated my life from the age of 4!). Here is a list of the top three things I have learnt about myself/life since sitting that very last exam on ‘Territory Knowledge and Power!’

1) I am only 22, I am way too young to fall into the 9-5 trap. Too much to see, too little time. This is something I already knew but working for nearly year has reinforced it greatly, especially now that I have found the light at the end of the tunnel (3.5 months in the USA!) 

2) I don’t like inefficiency – inefficiency is a waste of time and energy. Sometimes I think I should be the Minster of Efficiency for the UK. Though this dislike mainly focuses around the work environment.

3) I should also be the Minister of Initiative - and run initiative training for businesses…or maybe it should become an A-Level subject. I mean initiative will get you further in life than trigonometry. In one of my jobs, I won’t say which one, they changed all the printers. One day I overheard someone say ‘I can’t print because no one has shown me how to use the printer.’ In my head I was like ‘Dude, this isn’t school; you are not going to get spoon fed. If you don’t know, find out!’ So, yeah I am going to become the Minister for Efficiency and Initiative.

My attempt at taking an 'arty' picture last night
I feel from my year working I have learnt skills that will be more usefully in life than the likes of Pythagoras and algebra – though I do believe my education has acted as a solid foundation for this.

Last night to celebrate our anniversary of freedom from the educational system and as a leaving shindig for me, I met some Uni friends in the Lovely London Town. In my head I had a fab night planned - dinner, drinks, dancing, and then the night bus home. Unfortunately, we only managed to achieve 2/4 – dinner and drinks. It made me realise that I am not as young as I once was. Here are some key facts from last night for you:

1)      I wore heels (smallish ones) for the first time in forever. AND MY FEET HURT SO BAD.

2)      We could not bring ourselves to leave the restaurant and walk to Covent Garden to go dancing (painfully feet) instead we sat there for 5 and half hours eating, drinking and being merry.

3)      We couldn't even hold out for the last train home and got the penultimate one instead.

     
Despite all this, and the realisation that we are getting old and leaving our drunken Uni days behind us, I had such a good night and it was sooo nice to see my lovely friends before I jet off!

The Hangover Veggie Breaky: Veggie Sausages,
Veggie Bacon, Pancakes and Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice! 
Lesson learnt from this: As you get older, you don’t get more boring, you just redefine what you call a fine night out! 

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