It has been six months since I finished my time at university, and three since I had my official BA graduation ceremony. And in this time I have learnt a lot. So I figured I’d share some of these with you all, for those of you who are coming up to graduation, or others like me who are recent grads, or even for those looking back fondly on your university years.

The first thing I’ve learnt is that after being in full time education for the best part of 20 years, it is hard to remember you are not a student any longer. No more student discounts. No more transit passes. And no more hiding from the real world! In fact, when people ask me why I’m in Peterborough (the accent gives me away rather) I no longer tell them about my time at Trent University and my English and History degree, but rather I tell them about my job, my apartment, my partner. 

Another lesson is that life is a marathon, not a sprint. I’d spent so many years running towards graduation and to leave education, as though this would be the end. As if it was the final moment. But now at 23 years old I am barely a quarter of the way through my life. There are many more milestones to hit, and many more things to do.

Everyday in education you are learning, there’s always something new. But when you leave education the scope of what you learn each day diminishes. My Dad told me that he began watching the news when he left university because he was no longer studying politics and therefore was not keeping up with the goings on of the world in the same way. Since I have left university I have become a newspaper addict (shock horror a journalist who loves newspapers), I love keeping up to date with what is happening not only around the world but also within my chosen community here in Peterborough. Something I have been doing recently to attempt to learn something everyday is to listen to the proceedings in the House of Commons. Although, whether I am learning something new is debatable!

Having moved here as an exchange student I found myself to be older than a number of my friends at Trent. What has now transpired is that I am the only one of my friends here who is not in full time education. In fact, in my role here I am working almost exclusively with students. Working full-time whilst everyone you know and love is in school can be hard. No-one’s schedules match up, you have different priorities, and they will make infinite jest of how old you are.

But that’s enough of my quarter-life crisis! Let me attempt to give some real advice!

1. Your student card has no expiration date, flash it to your heart’s content and get those discounts.

2. Don’t forget to call your parents, my mother has been receiving many a call from me on the state of my succulents.

3. Make sure you have some hobbies or else working will become your life and burn you out.

Thank you to everyone who made printing this paper possible and I hope you all enjoy it.