Thoughts Every Graduate Has After Uni

Being a new graduate I thought that I would put together a sort of list of the thoughts I’ve had since everyone else has gone back to uni in the last few weeks. It does take some getting used to getting out of student habits! by Emma James, Staffordshire University graduate

1. Freshers FOMO

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This week for the first time I have seen so many of my friends on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat returning to University all over the country, but mostly Staffs.

They’ve come back from travelling, from working over summer and are ready to get back into the uni lifestyle with the only way students know how – FRESHERS.

Now I will be totally honest. Sitting here in my flat writing this by myself seeing all this… I have come down with a slight case of freshers FOMO (fear of missing out).

I was part of a sports team, so I have a fair few friends going into their last year this year, or their second year.

Watching all of the photos come up on social media and seeing the buzz about getting started again is making me miss uni, and more importantly my university friends.

But I’m sure once the first few weeks are over I’ll get over it. Or I’ll just have an impromptu trip back to remind me why I was keen to get away from the sticky floors of LRV in the first place!

2. How to adult

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This is a big one for anyone who has just graduated and/or moved out.

Personally I thought I would love moving out and being by myself – how different can it be to uni right? The answer is very different.

Because I have never had to pay council tax ever before I forgot to pay it for five months. Don’t ever do that.

Set up a direct debit when you first get it, and if your living by yourself apply for a single person discount, will save you a LOT of money in the long run.

This made me so poor for a month because I just forgot, so this aspect of adulting is not fun.

But, being able to do what I want when I want and sorting my own flat and things like that is great.

Some of the things you learn at university do come in handy too, like budgeting and bill, dealing with landlords and looking after your own space is good practice for the real thing.

3. I miss my friends

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Again, something that I am struggling with at the moment.

A lot of my friends as I’ve said are now in their third year, and I talk to them a lot and miss just being able to see them as an when I want.

My friends that have graduated I see even less, I think I’ve only seen three of them since graduation.

But I do talk to some of them nearly every day, which is great.

When people say the friends you make at university are your life friends I can understand that.

People on my course are now in Swindon, Stoke, Manchester, Birmingham all over the UK really, but I keep in touch with a lot of them which I enjoy.

Yes meeting up with them takes more effort but you soon learn who are the people who will bother to come and see you and put the effort in with you.

4. Can I go back?

There have been times when I think 'why didn't I do a masters and have one more year at uni', because I do miss parts of the student lifestyle.

Not having to get up every day and having a nap whenever I want is great, but I also think that it was time to leave.

I had originally planned to stay in Stoke this year and work for the Sentinel, but I got a different job and had to move, so I think that's why I'm thinking about going back more than maybe other people.

But I know that my other graduate friends occasionally think about going back and just having one more year.

Realistically though I really enjoy my job, its great and I wouldn't change it to go back to university, except maybe the cheap part of it…

5. Why is everything so expensive?

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This is a huge one for me. When you can’t use your student discount for things, they get so much more expensive.

Food, drinks, clothes, bills, rent EVERYTHING is so much more expensive.

As I said before there is council tax, which is more expensive than you expect it to be and can be a shock too the system.

Gone are the days of paying £80 a week with everything included, perhaps a house share might be a better option for new graduates to save some money.

You also start to realise why your mum used to shout at you for leaving a light on or something plugged in when you weren’t using it.

You really can see the difference in the bills (sorry mum!)

The most upsetting thing is also that there is no more student bars, so no more cheap alcohol.

No more £1 shots or going out on a Wednesday… but that might be a good thing for my liver after three years!

6. Three years was so worth it.

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Three years was definitely long enough in education. I think I had enough of education by the end of my degree so three years is long enough.

It also was worth all of the hard work, and stress and drama to get to where I am now.

I am loving my job, I’m enjoying being in Manchester in a new city and starting something new.

Staffs was brilliant and I enjoyed every second of it, but starting something new is always exciting.

So if you’re worried about change or starting new things, just try and throw yourself in there and you’ll enjoy it so much more.