The thing I miss most about being employed (apart from money, because duh)

Yesterday I experienced yet another question that I didn't know how to answer. Awkward. It was, "How do you do it? Moving from place to place?"

"When life throws you lemons..."

At quarter to five today, I became unemployed.

There ain't no rest for the wicked

I honestly can't believe it's been almost a month since I last blogged - I well and truly fell off the blogosphere, didn't I?

Life is moving pretty fast at the moment. It's quite scary and kind of sad, in a way. There have been lots of stressful times, but that's only made the chilled parts seem all the more wonderful... But there hasn't been enough time to sit and absorb these *moments* (if that makes any sense at all!)

I'm know I'm not the only one who adores the summer, but I really do bloody love it. When the sun's out I feel a lot more free and willing to get out and savour the weather. Lighter, longer days are a blessing, especially when you're in full-time work - there's nothing quite like spending a well-deserved Friday evening in a pub garden with friends, drinking pimms and enjoying the balmy weather. Nothing seems as rushed and everything seems a little easier.

There have been some big changes in my life, this month. Last week marked the end of my time at The Body Shop, where I'd worked for nearly a year in the UK PR team. It was my first proper, lengthy insight into the world of PR, and although I often found myself in difficult, overwhelming situations (99.9% of the time because of my mistakes, admittedly), I was so sad to leave all the amazing people I met and consider really good friends of mine. It was only today that it struck me just how much time you spend with your work colleagues - more time than anyone else - and how important they are in shaping your experience of work. The great thing about TBS is that even though my colleagues were all in different teams, we were always there to help each other out.

I went home for Father's Day the following day, which was definitely needed. I went sailing for the first time and even though I spent most of the time screaming "It's going to capsize!" and "Am I meant to be Port or Starboard?!", it was a good laugh, and pushed me out of my comfort zone.

I find that now that I live closer to home, I go home a fair bit. It's not because I don't like London as much as York (when I studied in York I'd only go home every few months) but I find that in London you can easily lose your head, and it's often difficult to stay grounded. I'm constantly surrounded by excess, luxury, and things I want, but can't afford. When you're here, you feel like you can have them, should have them, because everyone else seems to be living a (reasonably) lavish life. I don't know - it was easier to be sensible in York because I wasn't surrounded by possibilities and temptations, whereas here it's easy to trick yourself that you belong in a world that isn't sustainable on a modest salary. Getting out of the city gives my head a more-than-welcome break.

But back to reality. Today was my first day of my new (permanent) role at a PR agency. It hasn't really sunk in that this is my life now - that as long as I don't really screw up and I pass my probation - that I'm in a role where I can learn and progress and become involved. It's amazing! When I woke up today I wasn't even nervous because I had no idea what to expect, so didn't know what to be nervous about... After my first day I can tell that I have lots and lots to learn, but so far everyone has been lovely, smiley and welcoming, and I'm pretty happy.

And once I'm settled with my job, in a few weeks I'm moving from my beloved West Hampstead to - gasp - south of the river. As much as I adore where I live, and hope to end up somewhere as nice as NW6 in the future, my money doesn't stretch far enough for what I want. The house (yes, I'm moving from a flat to a HOUSE) will be newly refurbished and I have a balcony (my mother is already trying to convince me to buy tomato plants and the like for it... It's not even that big) and I'm really quite excited to have a view out of my window that isn't the local esso garage.

So... That's me! For those who are interested, here are a few awful quality photos that capture my life over the last month. 

                         Loving life at Kensington Roof Gardens

            Pancakes at Sofra, St Christopher's Place

I just really liked this poem.

                       Goodbye card from my Director, hand-made by his wife.

                         Leaving drinks!

                           Lunch in the sun with some of my beautiful (ex) colleagues (sob!)

                       

                       Leaving gifts. Very excited to put my a Selfridges voucher to good use!

                       

            Hangover brunch. Will I ever choose something except Eggs Royale? To be continued...

                                    

                                        Happy to be alive (and relatively dry) after sailing.

Until next time :)

For more (if rather inane) updates on my life, follow me on twitter @sofie 

I'm not saying it's going to be easy...

I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.

Okay, so I'm not Ryan Gosling in The Notebook, neither am I his love interest in said movie (sob).

Nonetheless, it's the quote that sums up the last few weeks for me. And my oh my, what a couple of weeks it's been!

My departure from student-dom to adulthood began with a week at Red Bull Racing in the Marketing Department. It was absolutely amazing, especially as I'd underestimated just how COOL the company was. The people work hard, play hard, and were absolutely lovely; even approaching to ask me to ask them questions. I learnt a lot, having to listen to members of the brand, hospitality, account management and communications team, and had a brilliant time in the process (as well as consuming way too much Red Bull. For the record, I recommend the new editions). I completed my project - creating a running show car event - by Thursday, which meant on Friday I experienced Silverstone, and saw Vettel - whey!

Also, the team have a table football next door to their office, which they make frequent use of. I may have beaten my Line Manager at a game. Like I said, the company is seriously cool.

Between saying goodbye to friends and packing, the week and following weekend were crazy with moving to London preparations. I don't think anyone can prepare you for a permanent move away from home. My brother is taking over my room as I move into his (smaller) room when I return home, but my room won't ever be my room again. Scary!

And this week? Well... interning is not to be taken lightly. My role alternates between PA, product packer, unpacker, organiser, creative thinker, tally charter, newspaper-scanner and ALWAYS a sweaty commuter. Always. The amount I've had to take on board has been overwhelming, to say the least, and I'm terrified for when my lovely intern friend Sarah leaves at the end of next week after giving me a two week handover.

The tube is a whole different ball game. This week alone I've been burped at, lifted off the ground due to the general scrum, almost bowled over, stared at (creepily), been made half an hour late to work because of delays, but managed to get through 2 of The Hunger Games books. So there's always a silver lining, people.

I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that during the week I'll have to be as flexible as possible. That, alas, is the world of PR. Despite the rather glamorous upcoming events, the role I'm in is anything but glamorous. But it's okay, because everyone in this business has to start at the bottom, and at least I'm being paid, which is a lot more than some people can say.

Today I went to Oxford Street with my fellow intern, and my mood lifted significantly. This is because I realised, whilst drooling over the gorgeous prints in Zara, and the Kurt Geiger counter in Topshop, and just about everything I set my eyes on (before we got sworn at by a cyclist. Oh, London), that THIS is what I'm here for. I'm here to work, but I'm here to ENJOY. Enjoy the fruits of my labour, enjoy my freedom from the stranglehold of academia. London isn't just work for me, it's a whole new life of brilliant things that I can't even imagine.

 

So yes, my internship may end up being gruelling, exhausting, stressful and chaotic... but it's going to be worth it. It really, really is.

I just need to remember that the next time I'm given a ridiculously arduous task, which will probably be... 9am Monday morning. C'est la vie!

Does it almost feel like nothing’s changed at all?

We were left to our own devices,

Many days fell away with nothing to show.

- Pompeii, Bastille.

Even though during the last three years many days did fall away with nothing to show, Wednesday 10^th July signified the date of my graduation, the day to celebrate what I did have to show: a 2:1 in English Literature from The University of York.

Despite having worked graduation in previous years and becoming rather jaded by it all, my own graduation day was absolutely wonderful, made all the more special by being accompanied by my Mum and Stepdad.

Having finished my degree and graduated, I feel waves of relief, pride and triumph, but also of anxiety, panic and sadness.

I have worked hard my whole life to get to this point, and I have achieved what I set out to do, which is brilliant, of course.

But then I realise that from this point onwards, I determine my life.  There’s no set destination apart from the destinations I aspire towards.  Milestones of GCSEs, AS and A2 levels are far behind me, and now, so is a degree.

I’m more than happy to leave the stress of education behind (you couldn’t pay me to do an MA at this point!) but at least in education you were surrounded by people in a similar position and environment to you.

The world of employment beckons – I’m working at Red Bull for a week in the Marketing department, and the week after I begin my year stint at The Body Shop – yet I feel at a slight loss, and slightly lonely in my circumstances. My friends will no longer be there when I get home from a long, brain-melting day, and there will be constant pressures to perform on a professional and very much individual basis.

What if I’m absolutely terrible? What if the world of Marketing and PR defeats me?

And yet, working opportunities aside, I still feel about 18.  I came back from York, and it was as if time had stood still.  Everything was the same as before I set off for university (aside from the height of my younger brother, and a bush that had to be cut down to stop our house subsiding…)

But I do feel a little older and a little wiser, and I’ve returned to the South with amazing memories and friends I hope are friends for life, in addition to my close group of school friends. And I have a degree!

So even though things do change, and it is quite (read: VERY) scary, some things do stay the same, and that’s okay. The stability of my home life will hopefully keep me grounded, and I know that if things get all too crazy in the world of work, I always have a brilliant support group and a super fluffy cat ready to give me a hug.

I’m thrilled to have graduated, and excited to start the new phase of my life. So, bring it on, world! I’m ready to see what the future has in store*.

Congratulations, class of 2013!

* sorry for the cheesy ending. I do love a good bit of cheese, literally AND metaphorically.