Yes. I've been away for a long while. But, in that while, I have gained a First Class Honours Degree in English from University of Birmingham. Or, to elaborate, I am two weeks away from officially obtaining the paper for said First Class degree (and slightly terrified of walking up those stairs in heels!).
So... Now what?
I feel like the above three words are the most often used in relation to the situation I now find myself in.
I should be scared, right?
Well, every fast-paced millennial (and somewhat slow-paced older family/extended family member and acquaintance) would like me (and many others in this situation) to answer 'yes'. Yes, I should be slightly scared that I have my degree and, as yet, no source of income for the next few months. That I don't know immediately where I'm going from here, that I'm seemingly going to 'waste' my education on the wrong career.
But... I'm not.
And I want to remind anyone reading this in my situation that it is ok, contrary to popular belief, to not have a master plan. Aged 21, you do have the time and ability to take a step back, breathe and not get caught up in the degree --> graduate job --> immediate money cookie-cutter mould.
For me, these next few months are those of personal growth, re-evaluating my passions and motivations, travelling, and deciding on my next move.
After spending a good 18 years in education, and having the past three years of stressing over deadlines, balancing said education with some sort of social life, it's been easy to lose track of my overall aim. So, rather than rushing into an anonymous graduate scheme for immediate money, I want my job search to be more related to gaining experience, following up possible leads and recognising that I'd rather be in a job that I love than simply work for the sake of it for an as-yet unknown outcome.
So, let's take this leap together.
