As the so called Easter ‘holidays’ draw to a close it’s no longer possible to ignore those panic inducing essay deadlines and exam timetables. Thanks to lots of parental patience and proof reading, the 12,000 word dissertation is approaching completion but with two 5,000 word essays still to do and an exam - and I maintain one exam is just as terrifying as five! - it’s not time to start relaxing yet. Assuming I succeed in obtaining that precious BA degree in English and history I then need to think about how I'm going to make use of it. When advertising the course, lecturers were keen to stress that an undergraduate course in English or history teaches you all the skills and self discipline that employers look for in job applicants, so on this basis with a degree in both I should be able to go anywhere and do anything! | "some form of Postgraduate study was once placed in the skills section labelled ‘desirable’, it’s now moved across into those listed under ‘essential'" | |
The first problem therefore, was identifying where I wanted to go. After much thought and deliberation I was forced to accept that someone who failed their maths A level was not cut out for a profitable position in the financial sector and recognise that I would never have the self assurance or dress sense to work in media or fashion. As I’d always feared I was one of those crazy individuals who actually wants to work with children and in the end it looks like I’ll end up being a librarian or trying to convince them that learning about the past doesn’t have to be boring! Having glanced through job advertisements for even the lowliest museum learning assistant, however, it’s increasingly apparent that a passion for history and teaching is no longer enough. Furthermore, whilst some form of Postgraduate study was once placed in the skills section labelled ‘desirable’, it’s now moved across into those listed under ‘essential’. So what to do? The somewhat disheartening prospect of another year of study, essays and yet more debt isn’t exactly appealing but given the competition for work in this sector it may well be the only realistic route in. In the meantime, it looks like I’ll be taking what I have chosen to regard as a ‘supplementary gap year’. Having already done the traditional ‘round the world trip’ and placement abroad it’s not going to be the laid back ‘learn about myself and the world’ experience I had before university. On the other hand it might well prove an opportunity to gain practical and relevant work experience whilst building up some savings to fund further study. So whether I end up volunteering for the MET in New York, doing an apprenticeship with the National Trust, or even just room stewarding at the local museum, I hope that in two years time I might finally be able to hand in my final ever essay and start looking for a real job! So, I've just got to write another 15,000 words, tackle an exam, persuade the university to let me graduate, make full use of this supplementary gap year, study for and achieve an MA. Maybe I shouldn’t be worrying about filling in the application forms just yet… Veronica | 
