Comments | bekki_beekeeper: Future? Scary.

bekki_beekeeper

Future? Scary.

Apr 13, 2006 23:09

Okay, I am now rather nervous about my gap year. This fear stems not from leaving college, nor from preparing for university, but the sheer intimidation I find in the prospect of work. Work experience really isn't the same as being in an actual responsible job role.

Part of this worry comes from the fear of wasting my time in a job that's going to ( Read more... )

Comments 14

silerswench April 13 2006, 23:10:36 UTC

Oh wow...you know I could copy and paste this post into my journal (but with a creative writing course at East Anglia instead of the Theology!) and it'd be perfect for my OHMYGODHELP!ARGH!!! this afternoon!

I'm going on a Gap Year and have nothing planned yet, tis very scary!

bekki_beekeeper April 13 2006, 23:57:50 UTC

It's scary, isn't it? And careers advisors are just no help! As much as I'm ready to leave college, the real world is just scary. Thanks for the empathy!

*hugs!*

silerswench April 13 2006, 23:12:10 UTC

Ooooo and the David Tennant goodness is making me do happy dances! Buying Casanova on DVD this Saturday and then sitting down to Doctor Who - YAY!!

bekki_beekeeper April 13 2006, 23:56:34 UTC

Squee! It's gonna be fabulous. I haven't seen Casanova *pout* but I hear it's excellent - if only to see DT flirting a lot. He can flirt with me anytime. *happy place*

silerswench April 14 2006, 00:01:08 UTC

Flirting a lot, sleeping around a lot, flashing that cheeky grin a lot...flashing...other things ;D *joins you in the happy place...brings chocolate sauce*

anonymous April 13 2006, 23:27:05 UTC

I feel your pain. I have to get a job and work full-time between finishing my exams and starting uni- only for a few months, yeah, but the prospect does not excite me. My two sessions of work experience (one at a newspaper, the other at the council) both ended up with me hiding from the phone, and my six months of working for a charity shop ended up with me hiding from the customers. And once a pigeon, but we won't get into that.

Have you thought about publishing? There must be loads of big firms with regional offices in Birmingham looking for interns/assistants or so on. It might not be actually writing the books, but it's an opportunity to see how the industry works from the inside, and also to meet writers and editors. And I guess there may be a fair deal of writing- blurbs, editing, that kind of thing.

me_ves_y_sufres April 13 2006, 23:27:34 UTC

That was me. For some reason, livejournal logged me out...

bekki_beekeeper April 13 2006, 23:55:41 UTC

You are one very clever person, you know that? I like that publishing idea. I'll investigate. Thanks! :)

(Yes, customers scare me too. The general public scares me. Phones also scare me, but that's because the general public tend to be on the end of the line. People can be difficult!)

I can go to bed happily pondering that publishing thought now.

clomoo April 14 2006, 09:45:21 UTC

Phones! *eek and hide* I know where you're coming from.

I guess I'm lucky in the fact next year is pretty much sorted and I don't have to panic that I'll have to find work or anything.

I agree that you don't want to work from somewhere boring, you have a whole year and it would be wonderful to do something really worthwhile for your future and something that doesn't bore you to tears! Even if you did end up working somewhere for a bit of money, you don't have to stay there the whole year, this gap year's a real opportunity.

I say try for anything that sounds remotely interesting or related in your area, the publishing thing is a great idea. The BBC must produce things around the Birmingham area (would I be right in thinking there's a BBC Birmingham?), hey it's not Cardiff and DW but it would still be great.

I think your talent speaks for itself, you just need the opportunity to get it out in the world and I have every faith that you'll do it.

And you must come and visit if/when I go to Southampton, that's an order!

Thread 5

bluehedgehog April 14 2006, 17:01:34 UTC

I'm not trying to be nasty here, but jobs often aren't enjoyable in the way studying is. I think that's true in most places. What does make a difference is whether the people you work with have a sense of humour and are able to make the most of that job. Which doesn't mean I don't think you should try to find something that sounds interesting, I really do. But I think a major part of the learning experience in a job is finding your way through the labyrinth of internal conflicts among staff and the company politics. It's like an RPG really. Even in the most enjoyable of jobs.

helent April 14 2006, 20:49:53 UTC

Sorry to be late darlin' I got caught up with kiddie stuff. I agree with your pal bluehedgehog. Most basic advice for the workplace is avoid the hell out of soulless corporation type companies and go for a more family feel.

Trust me, it makes all the difference.

*hugs and kisses*

bekki_beekeeper April 15 2006, 13:55:50 UTC

Yes, I see your point. Thanks, both of you :) In any case, I'm still no closer to finding anything, and in a week it'll be out of my mind completely due to pre-exam panic. *rollseyes*