Graduating from university is a significant milestone that comes with a whirlwind of emotions. As new graduates step into the next chapter of their lives, conversations with well-meaning friends, family, and acquaintances can either be uplifting or inadvertently challenging. To foster a supportive and positive environment for recent graduates, it’s crucial to be mindful of […]
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Have you ever felt like you’re capable of so much more, but something within you is holding you back? It’s a common struggle that many of us face at some point in our lives. Whether it’s fear, self-doubt, or the comfort of familiarity, these internal barriers can prevent us from reaching our full potential. In […]
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University, the time in your life when you evolve, change, grow, and develop. You meet new people; you experience new things you learn new concepts and immerse yourself in learning. However, despite all of these wonderful things most people overlook the daunting experience university can be. For many it is the first time moving away […]
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Biggest CV Mistakes you are making! CV…one of the most commonly used abbreviations in your final year. Universities tend to show students these pre-programmed systems that are supposed to be adequate for everyone. After all, we’ve all attended those tedious classes or workshops that prove to be 100% effective in getting you that dream job! […]
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I had been struggling during my three years of English undergrad, due to both personal circumstances and the fact that uni really wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. English, as it had turned out, was an incredibly isolated course where the majority of work was independent, totalling about 9 hours of actual class […]
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If you’re anything like me, since the first day of the first semester of the first year you’ve been dreaming about graduating. That feeling of accomplishment and pride for completing one of the most life-changing chapters of your life follows you from Year 1 to your last day at university. After all, you have met […]
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I had no interest in politics – student or otherwise – until I fell headfirst into leading a campaign against my university. We were called Student for a No Detriment Policy. Fun and flirty title? Not really, but it told people what we were there to do. Mainly, get a No Detriment Policy (a policy […]
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By Alycia McNamara Thinking about transferring universities? Odds are, you might not know how to go about it, you’re probably worried because not many other people make the same decision, and you don’t know who to go to for help. Information on the topic is scarcely available and navigating yourself through the system isn’t always […]
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I’m not going to sugarcoat it, 2020 was a pretty shitty year and in 2021 we are still trying to move forward with our lives but somehow end up stuck time and time again. I’m Inês, a fashion design graduate, class of 2020, and this is the rollercoaster of my journey. Spoiler alert, there will be some bumps on the way!
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Finishing university can be completely overwhelming, let alone during a global pandemic. My second semester of third year was probably the most stressful time of my life. I had constant deadlines to meet, an 8,000-word dissertation to write whilst trying to cope with the pressure of achieving my best mark. How would I be defined […]
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Words by Maddie Astle, Founder of Mind The Gap Graduates One thing, among many, that graduates can struggle with after leaving the comforting armsof education is adjusting to the workplace. This new environment, that we are often ill-prepared for, can be daunting and someone that is used to the structure and demands ofschool or university […]
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A collection of open letters written by those who succeeded in entering the job market last year put together by Issy Aldridge. This is a collaboration full of advice, guidance, and words of encouragement for those of us still hunting for our first major roles in industry.
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Words by Beth Turnball-Smailes Finishing uni is a strange feeling, particularly when it’s not exactly a normal year to begin with. You’ve worked so hard for three long, stressful years until one day when you press ‘submit’ on your final assignments and then suddenly you’re not a student anymore! The safety net is suddenly gone and […]
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It’s no secret that constant learning takes place at universities across the globe. Besides classroom lectures, textbook readings, and studying for exams, some of the best life lessons happen at university outside of the classroom. Here are the eight life lessons I learned at university beyond the classroom. Discovering who you are is a journey. […]
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How did you decide that University was not for you? For me, it was never about being against university or pro-apprenticeship but rather being set on a particular university and not getting it. Originally, I wanted to go into Politics and do the PPE at Oxford route, it wasn’t just about wanting to follow the […]
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2020 graduates have had it rough. Really, really rough. Imagine having spent three years working your ass off only to have a shockingly mediocre graduation ceremony over Zoom before being catapulted into a collapsing economy where employers know too damn well that they have the upper hand. I’ve seen jobs advertising an £18k.p.a. salary that […]
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Written by Izzy Cole When I decided on studying English Literature, I was met with the same predictable responses. I was either going to ‘end up’ as a teacher, which there is of course nothing wrong with, but it never seemed framed as anything other than an inevitable outcome. Otherwise and in slightly more positive […]
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Content warning – this article contains references to anorexia and eating disorders. If you are struggling with similar issues, please use the Beat Helpline: 0808 801 0677 for advice and support. 2017. The year I made the biggest leap in life yet to move to University and begin a new journey. For four years prior to […]
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Today on The Graduate Club we have a platform spotlight from the Founder of The Hysteria Collective. Created by 2020 Philosophy and Politics Graduate, Imogen Brighty-Potts, the platform is a collective for creative women, trans and non-binary people to share their work, voices, and network with one another. Imy has kindly shared a little bit […]
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Will to Learn “You can lead the horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” Everyone has the ability to learn, but it comes down to who has made the active choice to do so. Learning is not only reading, writing, watching, and listening. The ability to think and willingness to learn can make […]
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How was your university experience? I had a whirlwind of a university experience; I threw myself into anything and everything to see what stuck. This was honestly the best decision I made because I started things like Pole dancing and made friends with some of the best people ever and learnt insane skills! I went […]
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Recently I started a podcast with one of my closest friends. We reflected on our graduation day and raised a glass to the class of 2020. Entering the working world as a drama graduate that does not have a lot of time for the arts is a daunting task, a task I have been on […]
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“We are welcoming graduates to apply, 3-5 years experience is essential” Great. After graduating in 2019, I began my, what felt like, never-ending search for a job. From August-October, I non-stop applied for whatever marketing/media/communications job I could find, and hoped for the best, despite absolutely zero experience or knowledge of marketing what-so-ever! Somehow, I […]
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By Abi Azeez My name is Abi and I recently graduated with a degree in Law from the University of Westminster. I chose my degree because it sounded interesting and would mean that I would have a lot of job opportunities waiting for me. Mid-way through my second year I knew I probably would not […]
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Words by Imy Brighty-PottsIllustration by Beth Turnball-Smailes The Freshers Fair at your university may have been fairly similar to mine. A well known pizza brand handing out slices, local businesses promoting their products and swathes of societies lined up in organised rows with banners, posters, sweets and displays, telling you why you should join their […]
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by Ellie Smith There are too many differences to even begin to compare our parents first job search with our own. The internet (and a technological revolution) has ensured that our experiences are dynamically different. I’ve read an onslaught of articles declaring that millennials no longer face a ‘career ladder’. For millennials and Gen-Z, we […]
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What were your initial career plans for life after University? Like many history students, I was not entirely sure what I wanted to do. I just knew I did not want to be a history teacher (despite the instinctive response from family members when I speak to them about what I want to do)! Also, […]
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Words by Jenny Katte I’ve recently come to terms with the fact that when I (virtually) graduate, I’ll have officially left the physical and metaphorical crucible where many of my current ethics and values were shaped. I for one desperately want to take my solidified outlook into a workplace where I can “do my bit” […]
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I am an undergraduate studying BSc (Hons) Mathematics with Management and Finance, beginning my final year in September. I have completed over 12 internships spanning across seven industries, dabbling in Banking, Sales, Marketing and even a stylist for a music video! I ran my own start-up for five years, XTRA.art and then headed Sales and […]
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How was your University experience? I studied at The University of Birmingham for four years where I studied BusinessManagement with a Year in Industry. My university experience was just an absoluterollercoaster of a journey (in a good way!) There were definitely some highs and lows, but Iam so pleased to have made it to the […]
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By Melissa Thompson It’s nearly been 2 years since I graduated (where has the time gone), and since then I feel like I’ve been on an absolute rollercoaster – you know those ones with the dips and swirls and occasional upside-down loops (not pretty). Though it’s been a journey, I can’t help but sit and […]
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By Karla Hopkinson When I was ten years old I knew I wanted to be a writer. Of course, as I grew up, reality hit me like a tonne of bricks as it does for many of us. I knew I should still hold onto my dream but if I was to survive in this […]
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Words by Jasmina MatulewiczIllustration by Lauren Chapa In the words of The Financial Times, creative industries are facing a ‘cultural catastrophe’, what with everything 2020 has thrown at us so far. It’s no surprise, then, that they’ve opted for saving themselves before saving anxious graduates. The uncertainty is likely to stick around for a while, […]
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By Rebecca Moynihan I definitely didn’t have a plan for when it came to my next steps after university. I had spent my final year at university writing for and working on the student magazine, and the local newspaper of my university town. I had also been writing my own blog for a few years, […]
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What were your initial career plans for life after University? Truth be told, I went to university with a lot of tentativeness and to even start was a big step for me. In the beginning, graduation was still in the mythical realm of the distant future, a light at the end of the three-year tunnel, […]
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Words by Elena Havenga So, there’s a global pandemic going on. You’re back in your childhood bedroom with just the family pet for company. All your university friends live hundreds of miles away. Oh, and you’ve just been dumped. Life seems like it can’t get any more hopeless as a single 22 year old grad-to-be. […]
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Words by Lucy Robinson No matter how you felt about graduation, there’s one thing that is for certain: adjusting to life post-university is hard. For three, or more, years of your life, you’ve been building up to getting your degree. Throughout university, graduation was a static destination. But now you’ve been there, done that, and […]
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What were your initial career plans for life after University? When I began university, I was so sure that I wanted to pursue a career within the police, tackling crime and protecting the community in one of the most respected uniforms. This was my plan as I had real adrenaline watching the police do what […]
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As a History student, I have never had a particular job in mind: my future career path has always been hazy. All I know is that I love the subject, period. But for many people, they just can’t seem to get their head around the fact that I may not have the rest of my […]
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Words by Beth Gardner Finishing University at the best of times can be challenging, daunting and uncertain. The addition of a global pandemic has obviously not made matters any easier for the Class of 2020. My name is Beth and, having just finished my degree in English Language and Literature at Cardiff University, I have […]
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I began my journey at Cardiff University in 2015. My undergraduate course in Journalism & Sociology, was only supposed to last me 3 years. Little did I know that unlike most people on my course, I would graduate 2 years later than I was supposed to. Just a few weeks ago, I received my grades […]
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Name: Madison Parsons Personal Insta: maddie_parsons Business Insta: @foursevernnine What were your initial career plans for life after University? When I first started university, I had absolutely no idea! It was not really until the end of my second year of doing a Music Business degree that I realised I most enjoyed the marketing aspect […]
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Words by an Anonymous Writer Graduating and living abroad I moved to London after being accepted by one of the best Universities in my field, East Asian Studies. Therefore, my original plan was very clear, I would have moved to Asia and entered the business world. Life however is ironic and suddenly I realised my […]
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Words by Jenny Lowry I’ll be 28 next month, and I just graduated…for the second time. I left school in 2011 and went straight to Uni to study BSc Sociology and Criminology. I enjoyed the degree to a certain extent, but I knew it wasn’t for me after the end of first year. But I […]
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Name: Katie GallowayTheme: Small Business SeriesPersonal Insta: @katieogallowayBusiness: @o.livia.ac http://oliviaac.bigcartel.com/ When you applied for University, what were your initial career plans for life after? I initially left school and went to Glasgow School of Art to do Jewellery and Silversmithing hoping to get a job designing my own jewellery. However, after my first year I […]
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2020 has definitely put an unexpected turn on the completion of our degrees. First, we were faced with transitioning to remote learning. Then we had to readapt to life at home whilst coming to terms with the anticlimactic end to our final semester; and just when we thought we’d had enough; we’re being coerced into […]
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Words by Denise Dogan My name is Denise, I am 21 years old. I just graduated from Cardiff University with an English Literature degree. I plan to study Ancient History for my Masters, with hopes of being a fashion or publishing editor one day. As a recent graduate I have felt the pressure of trying […]
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Words by Alice Eve, Illustration by Lish Draws Life ‘I don’t care if I get it or not. I just want to know either way.’ That’s what I told myself as I anxiously sent off the final round of my Drama-School-Panic-Masters application material. Of course, that might have been true at the start of the […]
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Words by Harriet Jenner How to ensure experience from outside your area of interest helps, rather than hinders, your applications. Growing up, we were always taught that our teens and twenties were the time to try new things. Spin all the plates. Have our fingers in many pies. It seemed we were supposed to change […]
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Words by Mansi Vithlani Will my degree still be worth the same when I graduate if my learning is all (or partly) online? And what about my university experience? COVID-19 has drastically affected how we study, from those who graduated via online ceremonies, to those mid-degree who are now unsure about their academic futures. Many, […]
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