It’s terrifying to think that the summer’s gone as quickly as it has – barely a dent has been made in the to-do list - and that I’ll soon be plunged back into the worlds of finance, responsibility and self-sustenance. Nonetheless, if it’s anything like the Christmas or Easter breaks last year, it’ll be very easy to get back into the swing of things – all it’ll take are a pressured deadline or two, Theatre Group workshops or nightclu- I mean, ‘social engagements!’ I’ve valued the chance to have a rest, spend some quality time with my northern-based friends and family (with whom absolutely nothing seems to have changed) and recoup some funds through part-time work, but life in Southampton offers a different experience entirely. There is never a dull moment at university, and each day sees new achievements and chances to learn, be it important lessons or completely useless trivia. Every second counts!
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| Inspired by our university endeavours, it didn’t take long upon our return home for the fancy dress to bust out! |
I have three years of academia left (I’m on the Masters programme) before I’m jettisoned into the big wide world, and all of a sudden I’ll be standing on my own two feet, applying for jobs in the hope of making a living. And there won’t be any trusty student loan to fall back on should things go awry (except perhaps the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’)!
I wouldn’t say that up to this point I’ve ignored the inevitability of employment, rather that my focus has been primarily on academic success and making the most of the unique opportunity that the first year presents. Although I have been fortunate this summer to obtain significant work experience developing some software for a local security-based company. Despite omitting some formal processes – design documentation was, to put it kindly, sketchy – the job to a reasonable extent represented the sort of challenge I’d like to undertake throughout my career. While programming can sometimes drive me bonkers (“why don’t you work, why don’t you wo- oh, it’s working... thank you!”), there’s little more satisfying for me than seeing the growth of a software project from a simple concept to a fully-fledged implementation, particularly when I’ve finally cracked a problem or deduced an algorithm after hours of toil.
So whereas I’m vaguely aware of the direction I’d like to head in, I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to get there. And this is where I need to make a change this year. Last year, with my attention drawn away by other things, I tended to ignore the multitude of opportunities on offer at ECS, in particular its first-rate Careers Fair, numerous guest lectures and internship opportunities - placing them firmly under the ‘Later’ pile. Although I attended a few talks and witnessed some inspired teachings, I didn’t benefit as much as I could’ve done had I kept my future in mind. Being on a four year degree, I thought I had plenty of time, but given how quickly the second semester (when I was all settled in and comfortable with my new lifestyle) roared past, I’ve realised how time in Southampton is deceptively short.
So whilst refreshing the University experience, I know I’ll need to consider what lies beyond far more frequently over the course of the new year - although I may still skip the odd event here and there to catch up on much-procrastinated coursework and the like!
Furthermore, I’ve begun to find myself gazing at “career opportunities” sections of company websites, in particular software development posts, and it’s staggering just how much it’s claimed that graduates can learn on the job from shadowing more experienced colleagues. Nonetheless, to even get the opportunity to join these sorts of schemes, I’ll need to look at my degree with a less pragmatic “learning it for the qualification” mentality. This attitude suffices at school, but only because it takes you onto Higher Education – I can’t remember the slightest thing about the Latin text I studied intently for months for the A Level exam!
Instead, I’ll need to view my studies as more of an immutable base upon which to launch a career; I need to further my efforts to sharpen and fully absorb the knowledge and skills I think I’ll make use of one day, hence I’ve already begun to reread last year’s notes. This could be tricky when balanced alongside the demands of coursework and a social life, but it’s a target for this year, at least!
On the other side of the coin, I can’t wait to throw myself back into acting, making television, playing football, being around the buzzing Students’ Union, and just appreciating the magnificent people that I’ve come to know as my friends in Southampton! And, if one such person has his way, I might even find myself attempting some stand-up comedy at some point, although this is subject to me ever dreaming up a joke which the Penguin chocolate wrappers haven’t featured first... please DON’T come and see that!
So I enter September the most pumped up for an academic term I’ve been for years and, while it remains to be seen how long this burst of motivation and optimism can carry me, I feel ready to engulf myself in the world of studying once more, this time with a keener eye for future implications.
Oh, and there’s one other... tiny... insignificant motivation: family rivalry. A First Class Honours Degree for my sister this summer means that the competition is well and truly on!
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| Please ignore the incompetent tie-tying on display here...! |
Robin
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