How We Live Now

About a year ago, I wrote a post detailing my angst for post-graduation life and specifying that as long as I was writing and surrounded by friends, I would be alright.

One semester into my MSc in English Literature at Edinburgh, I managed to wangle my situation into almost fitting those specifications. I am writing a lot (and reading even more), and am surrounded by a fair majority of my friends (although those who left Edinburgh last year, I'm still awaiting your swift return).

A TICKET!

What I have most notably salvaged from fourth year, is that worrying about the future does nothing. Neither does comparing yourself to other people and the amount of work experience they have (this is my new hobby; it's actually quite stressful). Neither does doing something because you think you should be doing it. This is the most pertinent lesson I can take from my final year of undergrad. Last year, I applied for an awful lot of things that I wouldn't actually have enjoyed, because I thought it's what you do when you're in final year. It took up a lot of brain space and also real time.

So actually, I wouldn't like to say I predicted the future, but I kindof did. There's lots of people (let's call them nay-sayers, for the sake of this post), who, whatever you life decision is, will scowl upon it. My message is this: follow your heart. After you've stopped cringing, I recommend you go to a workshop like the one I grumbled about last year (or recreate it at home - I mean, all you need to do is draw a spider diagram and think about yourself), and work out what you like. Work out your priorities, and follow others' advice with a pinch of salt. Post-graduation life will be alright, in the end.