What I wish someone had told me on leaving university

Leaving university advice

Leaving university can feel like a bit of a culture shock. Suddenly faced with prospect of being an actual adult, it can seem daunting, exciting and terrifying all at once.

There are certain things I wish I’d been told before I left university that would have helped me realise that I’m not doing it all wrong.

Here I share my tips and advice for how to handle life when you leave university.

Author Bio: Jessie Moore

Jessie Moore is a luxury travel expert with years of experience travelling the world to find the best destinations, hotels and adventures.

1. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what you want to do

For me it’s been three years since leaving university and hell, I still don’t really know what I want to do with my life. But that’s okay.

Times have changed and you don’t need to stick with the same graduate job for the next fifty years.

Don’t take this as an excuse to sit at home pondering on what you should do. You won’t know until you try so get out there and take on different roles and experiences.

Worst case scenario is that you have to grit your teeth through a couple of jobs that you loathe. Not ideal but you can take a lot away from these experiences.

Think about what you did and didn’t like, what you learnt and then scope out your next role based on these feelings.

Some people just know what they want to do and always have. The majority of us don’t, or think we do but quickly find that it’s not what we thought it would be.

I guess the main point I’m trying to make here, in a rather roundabout way, is that it’s totally normal to feel a little lost. Once you realise that, then things become easier.

2. You can still have fun

I’d had a blast over my three years of university (as well as working very hard, of course) and leaving felt like the fun was over.

Moving back in with my parents, getting a full-time job, saving for a place of my own and let’s not even talk about all the debt amassed.

It can be a bit of a culture shock at first but attempting to be a proper adult does not mean you can’t still have fun.

Okay it may not always take the form of a drunken night at your local student bar followed by cheesy chips on the way home and a duvet day to follow.

But guess what, once you’re earning money you can do even more fun stuff! You may be saving your money but having a regular income, rather than a continuously growing mountain of debt, is actually pretty awesome.

3. It’s okay to postpone being an adult to travel

I don’t know about you but I am in a permanent state of wanderlust. Some days it can be debilitating, especially on the ninth hour of staring at a screen, or with my face squished against the window of a tube train.

There’s never a ‘good’ time to go travelling and everyone’s priorities are different so it needs to be a personal choice.

If you can afford it then going after university is not a bad option, as it means you won’t have to interrupt your career further down the line.

You’ll probably feel a bit of wrath from your parents, who will be bewildered at your refusal to stop having fun.

Always listen to your parents – as much as we like to think otherwise, they are often right (most of the time) – but make the decision for you.

Nobody likes regrets so do what you gotta do.

4. Friendships will need more effort

The chances are that you make a lot of wonderful friends at university. The issue with university friends is that they are often scattered all over the country/world.

To add to the problem, you may find that on returning home, your previously local friends have also now decided to scatter themselves all over the place.

This was certainly the case for me and it can be really hard to maintain these friendships.

Make sure you put time aside to see them and don’t wait for them to put effort in. Just do it yourself and get dates in the diary.

In the meantime, get a local hobby to meet more people close by – we all need a nearby network of people we can talk to and have fun with.

Friendships are easy at university but require a lot more effort when you leave. Don’t lose good friends out of laziness.

5. Save money every month

I know it’s a really ‘adult’ thing to say but saving is important. Whether you can only afford a tiny amount or you’re lucky enough to put aside large chunks, make sure you are putting money away every month, however hard.

The exception being if you are unemployed, then maybe wait until you have an income – please don’t save at the expense of being homeless, I’d feel terrible.

Get into the habit of transferring money into your savings on a regular basis, or have a jar/pot/ceramic pig at home that you drop your loose change into. Whatever works for you, do it and stick to it. You’ll thank yourself later.

Top tip: On the subject of saving money, make sure you sign up for a three-year NUS card just before you leave. It’s super cheeky but everybody does it (or at least they did when I was at university). An NUS card is an actual god-send.

6. It’s okay to live with your parents for as long as you need to

An extension of my previous point, how can you ensure you have more money to put aside each month? Live with your parents!

Okay it’s not ideal and can make you feel like you’re a school child again but saving is good. Even if you have to pay rent, the chances are that your monthly outgoings won’t be nearly as high than if you were living elsewhere.

It can be tough to lose your independence and own private space when you’ve spent three years at university doing whatever the hell you want.

But there are lots of perks to moving back to the nest. You may have to pull your weight around the house but parents love to look after you, so you may as well make the most of it while you can!

Just remember that the secret to adulthood is that no one really has a clue what they’re doing. Once you realise this, it’s pretty plain-sailing!

If you’re leaving university soon then I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavours and I’m here if you’d like any advice (I’m no guru but I’ll do my best).

Jessie Moore
Jessie Moore

Jessie is a luxury travel expert with years of experience travelling the world to find the best destinations, hotels and adventures.

Find me on: Web | Instagram

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6 Comments

  1. 12th May 2017 / 12:35 am

    I’m currently in my fifth year at uni (taking it slow), and I’m just starting to figure some of these points out… I think this is a great post for those who may feel a little lost or overwhelmed, very helpful! Xx

    Kez | acaciasdreams.com

  2. 12th May 2017 / 9:00 am

    I usually find these kinds of posts un-relatable but I agreed with pretty much everything you said! I definitely wish I was more prepared about the friends thing as well, I’ve found it so difficult to keep relationships with some of my old friends.

    Julia // The Sunday Mode

  3. 12th May 2017 / 2:43 pm

    This came at such a perfect time! I’m leaving in a month!! Ahhh! And although I’m really nervous and scared, I’m pretty excited too! I’m planning on travelling a bit later this year (for as long as my money will get me tbh) so I’ve got a bit of time before full time work starts. But the truth is I have no idea what to do and I haven’t really looked or applied to anything – which is making me feel very irresponsible, but I don’t quite know where to start tbh! I totally agree with all of these points and thanks for tipping me off about the NUS card – I didn’t know you could, so thanks!!

    JosieVictoriaa // Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle

  4. Jessie Emma
    Author
    15th May 2017 / 1:12 pm

    Thanks for your comment Kez – it can be a bit overwhelming but at least you’ll have had plenty of time to figure it out! Good luck with the rest of your studies xx

  5. Jessie Emma
    Author
    15th May 2017 / 1:14 pm

    I’m so pleased you found it relatable Julia! I also wish I’d been more prepared for keeping in touch with friends – it’s so challenging but I also think it’s never too late to reach out to them xx

  6. Jessie Emma
    Author
    15th May 2017 / 1:16 pm

    Don’t feel irresponsible, it’s so normal not to have a clue about what direction to head in! Speak to lots of different people, as sometimes someone will suggest something that you’d never even thought of and it can spark an idea. Good luck with your final month and enjoy your travels xx

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