Most of you now know that I have just been offered a 6 month position at Grey EMEA in London as a digital communications intern. I am sure that part of the reason I was given this offer was due to the hard work I have put in since leaving university. I have certainly been busy. For the past month and a half I have had two part-time jobs, a bartender at a local pub and a retail sales advisor at EE, alongside writing this blog. Although these positions were not part of my ultimate career goal they have taught me a lot of different skills which will be useful for the rest of my life.
So I thought I would share what I have learnt with you!
In both positions I have had to deal with difficult customers. It's almost impossible to work in sales without meeting at least one. I've learnt that unless you were rude to them first, it is not your fault that they are angry or rude. The best thing to do is to listen to them, let them have their say, always remain calm and never to interrupt them. If you don't know how to help them, ask your manager if they can. I firmly believe that it's the difficulties you face which make you stronger and which you learn the most from. There are always going to be times when you will meet with these sort of people in any career and the more experience you get dealing with them, the better.
I have become an expert at small talk, a skill very useful when you go for interviews and you're in the lift before it starts. I've always been quite an outgoing character but occasionally when I've been nervous or meeting someone for the first time I have been stuck for something to say. (Hard to believe I know.) But now I feel confident talking to almost anyone. In the end people are just people and whether they're a 40 year old farmer demanding another pint of Carling at 1am when you want to leave, or a timid shopper looking to get a new pay as you go handset, being able to connect with them is really important.
Being busy at work is actually so much better than having nothing to do. There is nothing more boring than being at work with literally nothing to do! No customers to serve, no glasses to put away, nothing. When you keep yourself busy the time actually goes much faster too. Also standing still for a long time is more painful for you legs and feet that walking around doing things. You might not like your job, but sitting around complaining about it isn't going to make it any better so just get on with it.
Patience is a virtue. Or so that's what people have been saying for ages and ages. If I'm 100% honest, I have never been the most patient person but the last month and a half has really taught me to be a bit more patient. Not everything can happen all at once and understanding that is really important. In the new position I'm about to start I will be communicating with people all around the world and with different timezones there's definitely going to be a fair amount of waiting around. If I had started this position in July I don't think I would have been as well prepared as I am now. So I am really glad that it didn't all happen straightaway for me because I would have been as good as I will be now.
My first time being formally employed has also taught me a bit more about the different ways you can be paid, and how and when you pay taxes - which before I had absolutely no clue about. With the government's allowance of the first £10,000 you earn in a year as tax free, I'm feeling pretty lucky! I've managed to save up some money which will help me pay a deposit on a flat (when I find one). I've never really been motivated by money and while I've been living with my mum I've not had to pay for any rent or food. In the past I would have said that I didn't need a part-time job because I don't care about money but the savings I've made are going to be really useful.
I'd advise anyone who is in the position I was in to try and get a local job while you're still applying for positions that are closer to your ultimate career goal. They might not always be fun but they can actually give you a lot more than just money!
Exams are over, my course is finished, the hockey season is long gone and I've only got just over 2 weeks left in Leicester. What am I going to do now? I've got more free time then I could possibly imagine and a list of ideas so long I don't know where to start.
I've actually had all this freedom for the last 2 weeks and it's taken me that long to write this! All I've done in that time is celebrate and go to the gym... Okay, I've been to London and the Lake District but I haven't actually achieved anything. My friends are frantically applying for jobs now or sorting out where they're going to live next year, and what am I doing?
Nothing is the honest answer. Until today. I updated my LinkedIn, which was my new years resolution, refreshed my CV and emailed some friends about finding more work experience. This is the last time in a long while that I'll have this much free time so I don't want to waste it being lazy. I agree that it's a good idea to relax and enjoy myself but I wasn't that stressed in the first place so I can't really use that as an excuse..
This video really sums up for me how I want to live and I think everyone should watch it:
Don't waste time thinking about what you're going to do, just do it. It sounds like I'm writing a Nike advertisement, I know, but I mean it. I think the best way for me to make the most of my last couple of weeks in Leicester (and complete freedom) is to make a list of what I want to 'Achieve Before I Leave'.
I'm going to have a think over the next few days and post my list on Monday morning. Then when I leave I'll assess how well I've done. All suggestions are welcome.. Watch this space!
I never thought I'd be writing on this. I mean, who wants to be in the library all the time? Surely we'd all rather be doing things with friends, relaxing at home in front of the TV or even better sleeping for 10+ hours. Sadly the time has come when we have to be in the library, whether we want to or not.
If you're a third year you most likely have essay deadlines this month, you could have a dissertation due and of course exams. On top of this you've realised this is your last chance to get the grades you want.
Even if you're not a final year student, you probably have a pretty stressful two weeks ahead of you. This is why being in the library has actually turned into something you want to do, because you need to get at least a 2.1 so that you can get a job and start paying back your student loan (the one you've been spending on nights-out for the last three years).
A common problem us students face in the library is procrastination - the act of delaying or postponing something. Whether its watching YouTube videos of babies laughing like this one:
or looking at cat pictures on BuzzFeed (one of my faves right, especially no.10 now http://www.buzzfeed.com/meganm15/cats-bad-day), we're all pretty good at not doing our work when we should be. I'm going to suggest a few things that will help you stay in the library the longest.
1. Have a regular working routine.
Personally I work best in the morning when nothing has happened yet to distract me. I get to the library for 8am everyday and I always sit in the same seat. This might seem a bit weird but I feel like it's much easier to pick up from the place I left off that way. Obviously different people work best at different times but picking a routine and sticking to it will really help your commitment to working hard. It's like acclimatisation, you body gets used to it, and after couple of days it's not so hard.
2. Resist the urge to look on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or any other forms of social media.
I know that this is easier said than done but if someone desperately needs to get hold of you they'll ring you. Try to confine your social media checking to your break times. In all reality what could happen that is so big that it couldn't wait 2 hours for you to see?
3. Plan your breaks before you work.
I suggest taking a proper break every two hours. By this I mean time away from your seat for at least 15 minutes. You might find it easier to break at the end of a point in your argument or after a certain number of pages of notes you've written. Whatever works for you. Basically you NEED to take breaks. Otherwise you'll get tired more quickly, be more likely to get distracted and ultimately you're more likely to give up and go home. If you plan your breaks ahead of time then you have a short term reward to look forward to. It's much easier to think, only 1 hour more than 5 or how ever much longer you intend to stay.
4. Make sure you have plenty to drink/eat.
A common reason for leaving the library is being hungry, thirst or having a headache. These can all be solved by preparing yourself before you come to the library. Buying food in the cafe everyday is expensive so make yourself a sandwich/salad/pasta before you go. Bring lots of nibbles as well like biscuits and raisins because you might want to eat at your desk.. even if you're not supposed to. Bring a large drinks container and make sure you are continually drinking throughout the day. The library (in Leicester) is often quite warm which can quickly make you dehydrated. Filling your water up can be another quick break and help you refocus your thoughts too.
5. Set daily targets.
This one is really important. You want to feel like you've achieved something at the end of the day so set a goal, whether it's writing 1000 words, making notes on 3 topics or something along those lines. It needs to be achievable but also related to the amount of time you want to spend in the library. If you complete it then you deserve to go home early. This will motivate you to work hard, concentrate and feel happier with the work you are doing.
6. Have a reward planned at home.
Although the plan is to stay in the library as long as you can, there's no need to be there if you honestly think you've done enough and have completed your target. It's important to have something you want to do other than work. I've recently been watching movies to chill out and switch off after 8 -10 hours in the library. You could do literally anything: meet up with friends, go to the cinema, cook a nice meal, have a take away, go shopping even, as long as it's not work. If you don't take time away from your work then you can get stressed out and you will probably lose your stamina after 3 or 4 days. You need to separate work from play and without something to look forward to then what reason do you have to finish earlier?
7. Make a work playlist.
Listening to music can really help improve productivity and block out other distractions. Even when you sit in the silent zone it's never really silent. I personally choose music without lyrics for working, mainly so I'm not tempted to sing along. Recently I've been favouring the Gladiator and The Dark Knight soundtracks because they're up beat and help me to type quicker but relaxing piano music also works well. Spotify is a really good for this as its a legal way to listen to almost any type of music you could possibly want to and it's FREE. Yes there are adverts every now and then but you can always turn the sound down low during them.
Hopefully these tips will help you out work those around and on your course. I think about it this way: I only have 6 months more of formal education and a whole lifetime to recover from the stress. Surely it's worth putting the effort in now so that you can enjoy yourself later?
Good luck to everyone who has exams and deadlines over the next few weeks!
This might sound like a really weird title for a blog. I mean it's third year, you have deadlines left right and center, masses of reading to do, oh yeah and a dissertation too! You couldn't possibly be called lazy, right?
Except, being a third year English BA student I only have 5 contact hours a week.. 4 of which are on a Monday. There are 12 weeks in this term, so effectively I am paying about £30 for each lecture (per hour) or you could say, every time I decide to miss a lecture (whether I'm ill or perhaps had a little too much to drink..) I'm wasting £30! Think how much clothes and shoes and food I could by with that! I'd have to get this top..
I think what I'm trying to say here is, it's third year, yeah you have got a lot to do, but don't let the rest of your life go slack. It's you last chance to make the most of university life! Get involved, go out with friends, meet new people (still) and have fun! I haven't posted in this blog in months even though my New Year's resolution was to blog more! And I think I just use the excuse, 'I'm a third year now - I've got to take things seriously. I'm too busy for fun' but that's just not true!! There are 168 hours in a week, no one says you must have 9 hours a sleep to live. As my wise friend Charlotte 'Sully' Sullivan always says, you make space for the things you love and the things you want to do. Whether it's a 2am in the morning or 4pm in the afternoon, you find space.
From now on I'm going to post every Thursday - even if it's just to say, I'm hungover and I should be working right now.. Because there is no point having a blog if it's going to be rubbish!
